Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 15, 2023

It’s fitting that a bio-pic of “Weird Al” Yankovic doesn’t contain a single authentically biographical moment from his life. “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” isn’t out to deliver an honest overview of the subject’s life and times, it’s a “Funny or Die” co-production, presenting not just an exaggerated take on Yankovic’s career, but a complete farce concerning the twists and turns of his existence. It’s in the tradition of “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,” delivering a parody of bio-pics for the master of song parodies, turning his experiences into an operatic understanding of career determination and the intoxication of ego. “Weird” is often hilarious and always on the prowl for silly business, with director Eric Appel (who co-scripts with Yankovic) really going wild with this examination of one man’s quest to win the world over with his accordion and love of wordplay, facing incredible odds against his success and physical threats from Pablo Escobar.

When he was a child, Al Yankovic (Daniel Radcliffe) was a fan of Dr. Demento (Rainn Wilson), dreaming of a future where he could write special songs that parodied the hits of the day. His parents disapproved of such ambition, with father Nick (Toby Huss) preparing his boy for a life of factory work. Acquiring an accordion and escaping to Los Angeles, Al hopes to develop his incredible skills as a musician, only searching for the right inspiration. It comes in the form of bologna, kicking off Al’s climb up the charts, nailing hit after hit, which fattens his bank account and inflates his ego, making him insufferable. Getting close to the superstar is Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood), who’s looking for an unbeatable collaboration and a torrid romance, blurring Al’s mind as he strives to create an original hit capable of turning him into a respected performer.

“Weird” is strange, and that’s the point of the production, which plays it cool for a few minutes, tricking viewers into believing the feature is a genuine portrait of the artist. The story begins in the 1970s, but dates are soon shooed away, with the writing preferring to use random bits of Yankovic’s history to fuel comedic situations. As a boy, Al was offered an accordion by a traveling salesman, giving him a musical outlet his parents couldn’t stand, with Nick the ultimate disapproving dad, clinging to the safety of a 9-5 job (he refuses to share his wage or even discuss the goods the factory produces). Al finds comfort in his talents, wowing gathered cool kids at a polka party, soon taking a chance on himself with a move to L.A., finding roommates but not immediate inspiration. “Weird” parallels many moves from “Walk Hard,” including the spark of genius, with Al’s life changed when he matches a package of bologna to the sounds of The Knack’s “My Sharona.” Genius is soon born.

Instead of walking through the years, goosing achievements in Yankovic’s life, “Weird” goes random, skipping around his growth period, which is helped along by Dr. Demento, who becomes a manager of sorts for the polka fiend, guiding him through the pitfalls of fame and the pressures of live performance. Appel has quite the directorial challenge with the picture, which bounces around scenes, and the production goes full “Muppet Movie,” packing in as many cameos as possible. Perhaps the most delightful use of famous faces is found during a pool party loaded with celebrities, with Wolfman Jack (Jack Black) challenging Al to come up with a parody for “Another One Bites the Dust,” in front of Queen bassist John Deacon (whom nobody knows). It’s a mighty test of speed and silliness, with guests such as Andy Warhol (Conan O’Brien) and Gallagher (Paul F. Tompkins) looking on, and the scene captures the special oddity of “Weird,” which often simply arranges small portions of insanity for funsies, wanting nothing to do with Yankovic’s real career arc.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray.

"Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" makes its way to UHD after spending the last year on streaming. The Dolby Vision presentation offers nuanced colors throughout, handling the extremes of the subject's adventures. Period hues are alert, with vivid primaries on clothing choices. Interiors retain the warmth of domestic spaces and the coldness of hospital stays and arena antics. Skin tones are natural, and makeup additions are precise (even exposing budgetary limitations). Greenery is also defined. Highlights are appealing, with a tasteful sense of California life and performance presentation. Detail is superb, exploring sharp skin particulars, and costuming remains fibrous, working with the oddball outfits of the era. Interiors deliver a tour of decorative additions, and exteriors maintain dimension. Blacks are deep, selling tour activity and preserving evening action. "Faux" grain is utilized for the HD-shot feature, and it doesn't always register in a natural way, but this appears to be an inherent issue.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 7.1 Dolby TrueHD mix supplies a crisp listening experience for "Weird." Dialogue exchanges are sharp, securing nuance with performance choices and celebrity impressions. Scoring cues support with clarity and balance. Musical performances are commanding, with a pleasing sense of percussion, synth, and bass, and vocals are pronounced, keeping Yankovic's singing the focus of the songs. Musical moods offer circular activity, providing a feel of crowds and room tone. Atmospherics are active and full.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features Al Yankovic and director Eric Appel.

• Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes (24:39, HD) provide introductions from Al Yankovic and director Eric Appel, who discuss the snipped moments, which include dinner table conversations with the Yankovic family, additional pool party cameos, a longer Oprah interview, and the full "Like a Surgeon" performance sequence.

• "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (10:18, HD) is a clip from the late-night talk show, featuring an interview with actor Daniel Radcliffe and Al Yankovic.

• "Variety Studio" (7:59, HD) is an interview with director Eric Appel and actors Daniel Radcliffe and Evan Rachel Wood, who field questions about the creation of "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" and the challenges of playing real people.

• "He's the Weird One" (3:52, HD) is a short interview with director Eric Appel and Al Yankovic.

• "A Plethora of Cameos" (2:07, HD) is an IMDB.com featurette that collects interviews from Al Yankovic, director Eric Appel, and actor Rainn Wilson during their promotional push for "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story."

• "Now You Know" (5:21, HD) is an official lyric video from Al Yankovic.

• Making Of (3:57, HD) is a brief featurette on the creative approach driving "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story."

• And a Trailer (2:52, HD) is included.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Madonna soon enters "Weird," putting Al on a path of alcoholism and arrogance, transforming him into a Jim Morrison-like figure, and there's an action element when the Material Girl is kidnapped by Escobar's goons. The feature is 107 minutes long, and one can feel the second half struggling to sustain the movie's early energy, with a few ideas and subplots in need of pruning. Still, laughs are relatively consistent, and Radcliffe gives his all to the part, trying to be the most animated "Weird Al" Yankovic possible, never turning down a chance to embrace the excess and amplification of this version of Al. Of course, it's all nonsense, but "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" offers some inspired madness and it answers a question plaguing pop culture for the last 40 years: what came first, "Eat It" or "Beat It"? The answer may surprise you.