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Fortune smiles on Reilly's 'Walk'

By Christian Toto
December 21, 2007

Recent clunkers like "Epic Movie," "Date Movie" and the "Scary Movie" sequels gave film parodies a bad name. "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" should restore faith in the genre and keep our toes a-tappin' for no extra charge.

Ostensibly a send-up of "Ray" and "Walk the Line," "Walk Hard" uses those films to tweak a musical culture in dire need of mockery.

And it delivers a slew of fun songs that could find a life outside the theater.

Dewey's tale, like many biopics before, is told in flashback. As a boy, Dewey accidentally slices his brother in two during an innocent machete fight. The death haunts him and his entire family, who clearly loved Dewey's brother better.

Cast out of the house at 14 for singing the devil's music, Dewey (John C. Reilly, playing Dewey from ages 14 to 70) strikes out to become a star in his late brother's honor.

His rise to the top is as hurried as the montage sequence capturing it all.

His signature tune, "Walk Hard," catapults him to fame, even if his perpetually pregnant wife (the marvelous Kristen Wiig) can't believe his good fortune.

Dewey ignores his growing brood, all the better to embrace his rock star status. He even makes time with his new backup singer ("The Office's" Jenna Fischer), a good girl who can't resist Dewey's charms.

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