Walk Hard:
The Dewey Cox Story
“You
need to give him a moment,
son — Dewey Cox needs to think
of his entire life before he plays...”
AND WHAT A LIFE. Haunted by the accidental killing of his brother Nate
(Chip Hormess) and his father's subsequent insistence that "the
wrong kid died", Dewey Cox is determined to be twice as successful for
himself and for Nate's memory.
Brought up on a farm by his loving mother (Margo Martindale) and cold father
(Raymond J Barry), who blames him for the loss of his favourite son, eight-year
old Dewey (Conner Rayburn) hears something at the local store that will change
his life forever — a black man playing the harmonica (Gerry Black) and
another playing the blues (David Honeyboy Edwards) who lets the boy strum his
guitar. Dewey takes to it like a duck to water.
In 1953, fourteen-year-old Dewey Cox (now played by Golden Globe-nominated John
C Reilly: Magnolia, Talladega Nights) and The Dewey Cox Four win
the Springberry High School Talent Show and the girls go mad, ripping open their
clothes! Dismissing him as "devil's spawn", his father throws him out of the
house, but Dewey vows to return and make his parents proud of him.
And so begins the hilarious comedy gem from the stable of producer Judd Apatow
(Superbad, Knocked Up). Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
— with its black comedy moments and terrific songs — charts the life
of the fictitious superstar Dewey Cox.
This music biopic has to be seen to be believed!
When Dewey leaves, with him goes twelve-year-old Edith (Kristen Wiig), who swears
undying love and support. At 15 he becomes a father, when they have their first
child. By a remarkable stroke of luck, Dewey is given the opportunity to stand
in for singer Bobby Shad (Craig Robinson) at a nightclub. His dreams to 'Walk
Hard' are about to be fulfilled.
As his marriage begins to disintegrate and more children arrive, Dewey is performing
with the likes of Buddy Holly (Frankie Muniz), The Big Bopper (John Ennis) and
even Elvis (Jack White). During the course of his career Dewey beds 411 women,
has 22 children, stars in his own television show and becomes addicted to every
drug known to man before spending a painful time in rehab.
In the middle of it all, a new woman arrives in Dewey's life in the shape of
singer Darlene Madison (Jenna Fischer: The Brothers Solomon, television's
The Office: An American Workplace). But can she put Dewey's demons to
rest? And can she change the man who seems so determined to self-destruct?
Dewey's life takes him to new extremes. In California during the Sixties he
wants to fight injustices while still experimenting with drugs and having a
bed full of girls. In India he meditates with the Maharishi (Gerry Bednob) and
The Beatles, with a fantastic cartoon spoof of an LSD trip! At a concert, there
is also an interesting conversation. First Guy: "What the hell's this song about?"
Second Guy: "I have no idea." Third Guy: "You guys are idiots. This song is
very deep."
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is highly entertaining and very funny
— but it does cover some serious issues and is a stark warning of the consequences
of playing with machetes, dabbling in drugs, cheating on your girl or disowning
your children.
Will Dewey come to his senses and, to get the girl, give up promiscuity and
drugs? Will he ever get his values back into perspective and take responsibility
for his children? Can he ever turn his life around? You will have fun finding
out!
Written by Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdam (who also Directed the film), Walk
Hard: The Dewey Cox Story also features Tim Meadows as Sam, Harold Ramis,
Chris Parnell as Theo and Matt Besser as Dave. Jackson Browne, Jewel, Lyle Lovett,
Ghostface Killah and Eddie Vedder appear as themselves.
• Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is
available to buy on DVD and High Definition Blu-ray from 12 May (2008), courtesy
of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Walk Hard also features a host of
extra material and is a must-have for comedy fans everywhere (if you're not
offended by some male and female nudity!).
"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is highly entertaining and very funny
— but covers
some serious issues and is a stark warning of the consequences of playing with
machetes, dabbling in drugs, cheating on your girl or disowning your children"
— Maggie Woods, MotorBar
The soundtrack from the film is also now available on CD: Click
to read the review.
Check out the highly-amusing interview with Dewey Cox at RollingStone.com.
