Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Encyclopedia
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is a 2007 music
comedy film
written and produced by Judd Apatow
and Jake Kasdan
, directed by Kasdan and starring John C. Reilly
. The plot echoes the storyline of 2005's Johnny Cash
biopic Walk the Line
; Walk Hard is also a parody of the biopic genre as a whole.
As Walk Hard heavily references the film Walk the Line, the Dewey Cox persona is mostly based on Johnny Cash
; but the character also includes elements of the lives and careers of Roy Orbison
, Glen Campbell
, Brian Wilson
, Bob Dylan
, Ray Charles
, Jerry Lee Lewis
, Donovan
, John Lennon
, James Brown
, Jim Morrison
, and Neil Diamond
. The film also directly lampoons artists Buddy Holly
, The Big Bopper
, Elvis Presley
and The Beatles
, in addition to some artists playing themselves, including Eddie Vedder
and Ghostface Killah
. In addition, the film parodies or pays tribute to the musical styles of Bob Dylan
, David Bowie
and the seventies punk rock movement.
The film was released in the United States
and Canada
by Columbia Pictures
on December 21, 2007.
in 1946. While playing with his brother Nate in a sequence of needlessly careless and dangerous acts, talking about the things he plans to do in his long life, Dewey accidentally cuts his brother in half at the waist with a machete
. This leads Dewey's father (Raymond J. Barry
) to frequently repeat the phrase "The wrong kid died" throughout the film. It is this traumatic event that motivates Dewey to rise to stardom and "be double great for the both of us" as Nate made him promise. The trauma also causes Dewey to lose his sense of smell
-- "you've gone smell blind," states Dewey's mother. After his brother's death is announced by a physician making a housecall
, Dewey's mother (Margo Martindale
) sends him to the local store to buy some butter and a candle
. There, he meets a blues guitarist (David "Honeyboy" Edwards), who lets Dewey play his guitar. Dewey is a natural.
After a successful, yet oddly controversial, talent show performance, then fourteen-year-old Dewey (now played by John C. Reilly
) decides to leave Springberry with his newly-identified 12-year-old girlfriend, Edith (Kristen Wiig
). They soon marry and have a baby; Edith begins to criticize Dewey and insist that his dream of being a musician will never happen. Dewey preaches to his wife that life is never easy; it's a long hard walk, but he will walk hard. While working at an all-African American
nightclub, Dewey gets a break when he replaces singer Bobby Shad (Craig Robinson) at the last minute, much to the delight of the Hasidic Jewish record executives attending the show.
Dewey then is brought to the studio where he is interrupted while recording a rendition of "That's Amore
". The recording executive (John Michael Higgins
) berates Dewey as talentless. Backed into a corner, Dewey makes the first recording of "Walk Hard", the song inspired by the speech Dewey gave to Edith. The song is an immediate success and launches Dewey's career.
Within 35 minutes, the song becomes a hit, and Dewey begins to get caught up in the fame of rock and roll
. When Dewey stumbles upon a room of groupies smoking with drummer Sam (Tim Meadows), Sam introduces Dewey to marijuana. Sam tells Dewey to leave because he "don't want no part of this shit" (a running gag throughout the movie) but Dewey eventually tries it and continues to do so every time he finds Sam with a new drug. His attitude and drug problems cause him to become unfaithful to Edith. Dewey's father then returns to inform Dewey that Dewey's mother has died. Pa manages to make Dewey feel responsible for her death, contributing to an already high level of inner turmoil. Dewey is then introduced to cocaine
, which leads to a change in his music to a louder, "punk
" type. With the addition of backup singer Darlene Madison (Jenna Fischer
), Dewey produces several more hit records. However, they become attracted to each other, and Dewey weds Darlene while still married to Edith, which leads to both women leaving him. Dewey is eventually busted after purchasing drugs from an undercover cop, serves time in jail, and spends time in rehab before Darlene returns.
They then move to Berkeley, California
, in 1966 at the beginning of the '60s counterculture movement. Dewey writes protest song
s for dwarfs, mimicking Billy Joel
's "Piano Man
". His singing style is then compared by a reporter to that of Bob Dylan
, which Dewey angrily denies. In the next scene, a music video shows that Dewey's new song mimics Dylan's style, including opaque lyrics ("The mouse with the overbite explained/how the rabbits were ensnared/ and the skinny scanty sylph/ trashed the apothecary diplomat/ beating the three-eyed monkey/ within inches of his toaster-oven life.").
During a visit with his band to India
, Dewey and Darlene take LSD
with The Beatles
(an uncredited Paul Rudd
, Jack Black
, Justin Long
, and Jason Schwartzmann), which causes Dewey to lose touch with reality yet again and have a Yellow Submarine-esque hallucination
. Dewey becomes obsessed with every aspect of the recording process and is consumed with creating his masterpiece entitled Black Sheep (an homage to Brian Wilson
's Smile
). The song includes orchestral instrumentation and bizarre effects. The band does not appreciate his insane style of music and his continuous abuse of the others in the group. As a result the band breaks up; Darlene is also unable to deal with Dewey's insanity and drug problems and leaves him. Dewey goes through another stay in jail and rehab, in which he is visited by Nate's ghost (now played by Jonah Hill
; explaining that that is how he would look now had he not been killed). Nate angrily criticizes Dewey telling him to "get his shit together" and start writing songs again.
Dewey is next seen jogging into the 1970s, and is now hosting a CBS
variety television show. Dewey has song-block and is having a lot of trouble trying to write a masterpiece for his brother (in the director's cut
, Dewey remarries again, this time to Cheryl Tiegs
.) Nate appears again and tells Dewey that he needs to tell Pa that he loves him, which Dewey does. Although Dewey's father appreciates his courage to say it, he decides the only way to settle their disagreement is to fight to the death with machetes. However, Pa accidentally cuts himself in half. Just before he dies, the senior Cox - realizing how easy it is for someone to accidentally be cut in half with a machete - forgives Dewey, and tells him to be a better father than he was. His death causes Dewey to have an emotional breakdown
and he destroys almost everything in his home, starting with the sink (another running gag throughout the film).
Dewey accepts that it is time to focus on spending time with his numerous children. Darlene returns once again, this time in 1992 as Dewey begins his senior years. At one of their children's birthday parties, Dewey talks to Darlene about what he has done since they last met. After finally understanding what is most important to him, Dewey regains his sense of smell.
In 2007, Dewey becomes popular with younger listeners through rapper Lil' Nutzzak's sampling
of "Walk Hard". Dewey is upset about this at first, but pays it little mind when he is informed that he is to receive the lifetime achievement award. Dewey is reluctant to play a song at first, fearing the temptations he once succumbed to, but his wife and children put their full support behind him. Dewey reunites with his band, and he is finally able to fulfill his dream of creating one great masterpiece that sums up his entire life with his final song, "Beautiful Ride." Dewey dies 3 minutes after the performance.
Celebrities
Uncredited
brought the idea to his friend and fellow director Judd Apatow. They then began writing the film together. The tongue-in-cheek
references in this fake biopic were drawn from various sources. Apatow and Kasdan noted that they watched various types of biopics for inspiration, including those of Jimi Hendrix
and Marilyn Monroe
. Despite the humorous approach, the film was crafted in the serious tone of films earmarked
for an Oscar, adding to the irony.
John C. Reilly
, who actually sings and plays guitar, was chosen to play the title role. "We took the clichés of movie biopics and just had fun with them," Reilly said. The "deliberate miscasting" of celebrity cameos, such as Elvis Presley
and The Beatles
, was intended to enhance the comedy. The movie's poster is a reference to the "young lion" photos of Jim Morrison
.
, who gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, and it garnered 75% positive reviews at Rotten Tomatoes
, certifying it "fresh". The movie did not find an audience, however, and there were only $18 million in domestic receipts, below the film's budget.
John C. Reilly
received a Golden Globe nomination for his role, as well as for singing the title song.
It has become a cult favorite due to its many reruns on cable TV.
and Blu-ray Disc
on April 8, 2008. In the opening weekend, 263,001 DVD units were sold, generating revenue of $5,110,109. As of May 2010, DVD sales have gathered revenue of $15,664,735.
Several fake commercials were aired including one with John Mayer
, hinting Dewey might be his father.
and Mike Viola
(of the Candy Butchers) wrote most of the film's songs, including There's a Change a Happenin, Mulatto, A Life Without You (Is No Life At All), Beautiful Ride and Hole in My Pants. Charlie Wadhams
wrote the song Let's Duet. Marshall Crenshaw
wrote the title song, and Van Dyke Parks
penned the Brian Wilson
-esque 1960s-styled psychedelic jam Black Sheep (the recording session seems to be a specific parody of Wilson's Smile album sessions, on which Van Dyke Parks worked). Antonio Ortiz wrote Take My Hand. A number of critics noted the unusually high quality of many of the individual songs on the soundtrack; how well they reflected the styles and times they were attempting to spoof and how well they stood on their own as quality compositions. The soundtrack was nominated for both a Grammy and Golden Globe Award and was nominated and won the Sierra Award for Best Song in a Motion Picture from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society
. John C. Reilly sang on all the tracks and played guitar on most of them.
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
written and produced by Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He is well known for his work in comedy films, especially for films he has been involved with throughout the latter half of the 2000s. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, a film production company that also developed the...
and Jake Kasdan
Jake Kasdan
Jake Kasdan is an American television and film director.Kasdan was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Meg , a writer, and writer-director Lawrence Kasdan. His younger brother, Jon Kasdan, also works in the film and television industry as an actor and writer...
, directed by Kasdan and starring John C. Reilly
John C. Reilly
John Christopher Reilly, Jr. is an American film and theater actor, singer, and comedian. Debuting in Casualties of War in 1989, he is one of several actors whose careers were launched by Brian De Palma. To date, he has appeared in more than fifty films, including three separate films in 2002...
. The plot echoes the storyline of 2005's Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
biopic Walk the Line
Walk the Line
Walk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold and based on the early life and career of country music artist Johnny Cash...
; Walk Hard is also a parody of the biopic genre as a whole.
As Walk Hard heavily references the film Walk the Line, the Dewey Cox persona is mostly based on Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
; but the character also includes elements of the lives and careers of Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
, Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
, Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
, and Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
. The film also directly lampoons artists Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
, The Big Bopper
The Big Bopper
Jiles Perry "J. P." Richardson, Jr. also commonly known as The Big Bopper, was an American disc jockey, singer, and songwriter whose big voice and exuberant personality made him an early rock and roll star...
, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, in addition to some artists playing themselves, including Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
and Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
. In addition, the film parodies or pays tribute to the musical styles of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and the seventies punk rock movement.
The film was released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
by Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
on December 21, 2007.
Plot
A young Dewey Cox (Conner Rayburn) begins his quest for stardom from humble beginnings in Springberry, AlabamaAlabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
in 1946. While playing with his brother Nate in a sequence of needlessly careless and dangerous acts, talking about the things he plans to do in his long life, Dewey accidentally cuts his brother in half at the waist with a machete
Machete
The machete is a large cleaver-like cutting tool. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet, though it is less commonly known...
. This leads Dewey's father (Raymond J. Barry
Raymond J. Barry
Raymond John Barry is an American film, television and stage actor.-Personal life:Raymond John Barry was born in Hempstead, New York . His father, Raymond Barry, worked in sales. His mother, Barbara Barry , was also an actor, known professionally as B. Constance Barry...
) to frequently repeat the phrase "The wrong kid died" throughout the film. It is this traumatic event that motivates Dewey to rise to stardom and "be double great for the both of us" as Nate made him promise. The trauma also causes Dewey to lose his sense of smell
Anosmia
Anosmia is a lack of functioning olfaction, or in other words, an inability to perceive odors. Anosmia may be either temporary or permanent. A related term, hyposmia, refers to a decreased ability to smell, while hyperosmia refers to an increased ability to smell. Some people may be anosmic for one...
-- "you've gone smell blind," states Dewey's mother. After his brother's death is announced by a physician making a housecall
Housecall
A housecall, or house call, is an act of customer service where the service provider goes to the consumer's home, rather than the consumer visiting the supplier's place of business....
, Dewey's mother (Margo Martindale
Margo Martindale
Margo Martindale is an American stage, television and film actress. In 2011, Martindale won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Mags Bennett on Justified.-Early life:...
) sends him to the local store to buy some butter and a candle
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
. There, he meets a blues guitarist (David "Honeyboy" Edwards), who lets Dewey play his guitar. Dewey is a natural.
After a successful, yet oddly controversial, talent show performance, then fourteen-year-old Dewey (now played by John C. Reilly
John C. Reilly
John Christopher Reilly, Jr. is an American film and theater actor, singer, and comedian. Debuting in Casualties of War in 1989, he is one of several actors whose careers were launched by Brian De Palma. To date, he has appeared in more than fifty films, including three separate films in 2002...
) decides to leave Springberry with his newly-identified 12-year-old girlfriend, Edith (Kristen Wiig
Kristen Wiig
Kristen Carroll Wiig is an American film and television actress who currently appears as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Wiig was a member of improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings, and has appeared in several films and television series, including Bridesmaids, MacGruber, Flight of...
). They soon marry and have a baby; Edith begins to criticize Dewey and insist that his dream of being a musician will never happen. Dewey preaches to his wife that life is never easy; it's a long hard walk, but he will walk hard. While working at an all-African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
nightclub, Dewey gets a break when he replaces singer Bobby Shad (Craig Robinson) at the last minute, much to the delight of the Hasidic Jewish record executives attending the show.
Dewey then is brought to the studio where he is interrupted while recording a rendition of "That's Amore
That's Amore
"That's Amore" is a 1952 song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Jack Brooks. It became a major hit, signature song for Dean Martin in 1953. Amore means "love" in Italian....
". The recording executive (John Michael Higgins
John Michael Higgins
John Michael Higgins is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's The Late Shift, and a starring role in the American version of Kath & Kim....
) berates Dewey as talentless. Backed into a corner, Dewey makes the first recording of "Walk Hard", the song inspired by the speech Dewey gave to Edith. The song is an immediate success and launches Dewey's career.
Within 35 minutes, the song becomes a hit, and Dewey begins to get caught up in the fame of rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. When Dewey stumbles upon a room of groupies smoking with drummer Sam (Tim Meadows), Sam introduces Dewey to marijuana. Sam tells Dewey to leave because he "don't want no part of this shit" (a running gag throughout the movie) but Dewey eventually tries it and continues to do so every time he finds Sam with a new drug. His attitude and drug problems cause him to become unfaithful to Edith. Dewey's father then returns to inform Dewey that Dewey's mother has died. Pa manages to make Dewey feel responsible for her death, contributing to an already high level of inner turmoil. Dewey is then introduced to cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, which leads to a change in his music to a louder, "punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
" type. With the addition of backup singer Darlene Madison (Jenna Fischer
Jenna Fischer
Regina Marie "Jenna" Fischer is an American actress and director. She is most widely known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Pam Halpert on the NBC situation comedy and mockumentary The Office, and has also appeared in several films, including Blades of Glory, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,...
), Dewey produces several more hit records. However, they become attracted to each other, and Dewey weds Darlene while still married to Edith, which leads to both women leaving him. Dewey is eventually busted after purchasing drugs from an undercover cop, serves time in jail, and spends time in rehab before Darlene returns.
They then move to Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, in 1966 at the beginning of the '60s counterculture movement. Dewey writes protest song
Protest song
A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs . It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre...
s for dwarfs, mimicking Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
's "Piano Man
Piano Man (song)
"Piano Man" was Billy Joel's first major hit and his signature song. "Piano Man" was released as a single in November 1st, 1973 and has been on several albums...
". His singing style is then compared by a reporter to that of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, which Dewey angrily denies. In the next scene, a music video shows that Dewey's new song mimics Dylan's style, including opaque lyrics ("The mouse with the overbite explained/how the rabbits were ensnared/ and the skinny scanty sylph/ trashed the apothecary diplomat/ beating the three-eyed monkey/ within inches of his toaster-oven life.").
During a visit with his band to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Dewey and Darlene take LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
with The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
(an uncredited Paul Rudd
Paul Rudd
Paul Stephen Rudd is an American actor and screenwriter. He has primarily appeared in comedies, and is known for his roles in the films Clueless, Wet Hot American Summer, Anchorman, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Dinner for Schmucks, The Object of My...
, Jack Black
Jack Black
Jack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
, Justin Long
Justin Long
Justin Jacob Long is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his roles in the Hollywood films Galaxy Quest, Jeepers Creepers, Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard, He's Just Not That into You, Drag Me to Hell, and Youth in Revolt, and his personification of a Mac in Apple's "Get a...
, and Jason Schwartzmann), which causes Dewey to lose touch with reality yet again and have a Yellow Submarine-esque hallucination
Hallucination
A hallucination, in the broadest sense of the word, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus. In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid,...
. Dewey becomes obsessed with every aspect of the recording process and is consumed with creating his masterpiece entitled Black Sheep (an homage to Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
's Smile
Smile (The Beach Boys album)
Smile is a previously unreleased album by The Beach Boys recorded throughout 1966 and 1967. The project was intended by its creator Brian Wilson as the follow-up to Pet Sounds, but was never completed in its original form...
). The song includes orchestral instrumentation and bizarre effects. The band does not appreciate his insane style of music and his continuous abuse of the others in the group. As a result the band breaks up; Darlene is also unable to deal with Dewey's insanity and drug problems and leaves him. Dewey goes through another stay in jail and rehab, in which he is visited by Nate's ghost (now played by Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill Feldstein , known professionally as Jonah Hill, is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, and comedian. Hill is best known roles for his roles in Superbad, Knocked Up, and Get Him to the Greek. He made his theatrical debut in I Heart Huckabees, alongside Jason Schwartzman and Dustin...
; explaining that that is how he would look now had he not been killed). Nate angrily criticizes Dewey telling him to "get his shit together" and start writing songs again.
Dewey is next seen jogging into the 1970s, and is now hosting a CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
variety television show. Dewey has song-block and is having a lot of trouble trying to write a masterpiece for his brother (in the director's cut
Director's cut
A director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
, Dewey remarries again, this time to Cheryl Tiegs
Cheryl Tiegs
Cheryl Rae Tiegs is an American model and actress.- Early years :Tiegs was born in Breckenridge, Minnesota but raised in Alhambra, California, and she graduated from Alhambra High School in 1965. She also attended the California State University, Los Angeles and became a little sister to the Sigma...
.) Nate appears again and tells Dewey that he needs to tell Pa that he loves him, which Dewey does. Although Dewey's father appreciates his courage to say it, he decides the only way to settle their disagreement is to fight to the death with machetes. However, Pa accidentally cuts himself in half. Just before he dies, the senior Cox - realizing how easy it is for someone to accidentally be cut in half with a machete - forgives Dewey, and tells him to be a better father than he was. His death causes Dewey to have an emotional breakdown
Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
and he destroys almost everything in his home, starting with the sink (another running gag throughout the film).
Dewey accepts that it is time to focus on spending time with his numerous children. Darlene returns once again, this time in 1992 as Dewey begins his senior years. At one of their children's birthday parties, Dewey talks to Darlene about what he has done since they last met. After finally understanding what is most important to him, Dewey regains his sense of smell.
In 2007, Dewey becomes popular with younger listeners through rapper Lil' Nutzzak's sampling
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of "Walk Hard". Dewey is upset about this at first, but pays it little mind when he is informed that he is to receive the lifetime achievement award. Dewey is reluctant to play a song at first, fearing the temptations he once succumbed to, but his wife and children put their full support behind him. Dewey reunites with his band, and he is finally able to fulfill his dream of creating one great masterpiece that sums up his entire life with his final song, "Beautiful Ride." Dewey dies 3 minutes after the performance.
Cast
- John C. ReillyJohn C. ReillyJohn Christopher Reilly, Jr. is an American film and theater actor, singer, and comedian. Debuting in Casualties of War in 1989, he is one of several actors whose careers were launched by Brian De Palma. To date, he has appeared in more than fifty films, including three separate films in 2002...
as Dewford Randolph "Dewey" Cox - Jenna FischerJenna FischerRegina Marie "Jenna" Fischer is an American actress and director. She is most widely known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Pam Halpert on the NBC situation comedy and mockumentary The Office, and has also appeared in several films, including Blades of Glory, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,...
(Angela CorreaAngela Correa- History :Correa is originally from Yuba City, Ca. She moved from San Diego, where she had attended college to Los Angeles and formed the band Correatown in 2007. The name of the band was taken from a nick name a friend had given her.- Reception :...
, singing) as Darlene Madison Cox - Raymond J. BarryRaymond J. BarryRaymond John Barry is an American film, television and stage actor.-Personal life:Raymond John Barry was born in Hempstead, New York . His father, Raymond Barry, worked in sales. His mother, Barbara Barry , was also an actor, known professionally as B. Constance Barry...
as Pa Cox - Margo MartindaleMargo MartindaleMargo Martindale is an American stage, television and film actress. In 2011, Martindale won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Mags Bennett on Justified.-Early life:...
as Ma Cox - Kristen WiigKristen WiigKristen Carroll Wiig is an American film and television actress who currently appears as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Wiig was a member of improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings, and has appeared in several films and television series, including Bridesmaids, MacGruber, Flight of...
as Edith - Conner RayburnConner RayburnConner Rayburn was born in Dickson, Tennessee on April 7, 1999. He is best known for his role of Kyle Orenthal on the American sitcom According to Jim.-Career:...
as Dewey Cox, age 7 - Chip Hormess as Nate Cox
- David "Honeyboy" Edwards as The Old Blues Singer
- Paul BatesPaul BatesPaul Bates is an American actor. He is most known for his minor roles in 8 Mile, True Romance and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.He is also known for playing Oha in the 1988 film Coming to America.-External links:...
as Nightclub Manager - Tim Meadows as Sam McPherson
- Chris ParnellChris ParnellThomas Christopher "Chris" Parnell is an American comic actor best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1998–2006 and currently for his recurring role as Dr. Leo Spaceman on NBC's Emmy Award-winning comedy series 30 Rock. Parnell also voices Cyril Figgis on the FX animated comedy...
as Theo - Matt BesserMatt BesserMatthew Gregory "Matt" Besser is an American actor and comedian best known as one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe who also had their own show on Comedy Central from 1998-2000....
as Dave - David KrumholtzDavid KrumholtzDavid Krumholtz is an American actor best known for playing Professor Charlie Eppes in the television series Numb3rs. He appeared as Seth Goldstein in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and its two sequels, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas...
as Schwartzberg - Craig Robinson as Bobby Shad
- Harold RamisHarold RamisHarold Allen Ramis is an American actor, director, and writer, specializing in comedy. His best-known film acting roles are as Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters and Russell Ziskey in Stripes , both of which he also co-wrote...
as L'Chaim - Martin StarrMartin StarrMartin Starr is an American television and film actor, known for his roles as Bill Haverchuck on the short-lived NBC comedy-drama Freaks and Geeks and as Roman DeBeers on the Starz comedy series Party Down, as well as for his roles in the films Knocked Up, Cheats, and Adventureland.-Life and...
as Schmendrick - John Michael HigginsJohn Michael HigginsJohn Michael Higgins is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's The Late Shift, and a starring role in the American version of Kath & Kim....
as "Walk Hard" recording engineer - Ed HelmsEd HelmsEdward Paul "Ed" Helms is an American actor and comedian known for his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as Andy Bernard on the US version of the sitcom/mockumentary The Office and for his role as Dr. Stu Price in The Hangover films.- Early life :Helms was born and raised...
as Stage manager - Jane LynchJane LynchJane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
as Gail, the news reporter - Angela Little MackenzieAngela LittleAngela Michelle Little is an American model and actress. Little was selected as Playboys Playmate of the Month for August 1998, and she has appeared in several Playboy videos and special editions, working steadily for Playboy for more than five years following her centerfold appearance.Little was...
as Beth Anne - Skyler GisondoSkyler GisondoSkyler Gisondo is an American teen actor probably best known for his roles as Bryan Pearson on The Bill Engvall Show and Tommy Doyle in Rob Zombie's Halloween.-Awards:...
as Dewford "Dewdrop/Dewey" Cox, Jr. - Simon HelbergSimon HelbergSimon Maxwell Helberg is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Howard Wolowitz in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. In its fourth season, he also appeared on the sketch comedy series MADtv for five episodes...
as Dreidel L'Chaim - Lurie PostonLurie PostonLurie Poston is an American SAG child actor and singer.Poston began his career in the cast of the Broadway Musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, acting in over 300 performances. In 2003, he had a small part playing a younger version of one of the main characters in the film Girls Will Be Girls...
as a Cox kid - Jack McBrayerJack McBrayerJack McBrayer is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"...
as DJ
Celebrities
- Frankie MunizFrankie MunizFrancisco "Frankie" Muniz IV is an American actor, musician, writer, producer, and racecar driver. He is known primarily as the star of the FOX television family sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. In 2003, he was considered "one of Hollywood's most bankable teens". In 2008, he put his acting career...
as Buddy HollyBuddy HollyCharles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll... - John EnnisJohn Ennis (actor)John Ennis is an American actor and comic. He has been a regular cast member of Mr. Show with Bob and David, has played roles in Malcolm in the Middle and played a writer for the fictitious comedy show at the center of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip...
as The Big BopperThe Big BopperJiles Perry "J. P." Richardson, Jr. also commonly known as The Big Bopper, was an American disc jockey, singer, and songwriter whose big voice and exuberant personality made him an early rock and roll star... - Jack WhiteJack White (musician)Jack White , often credited as Jack White III, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and occasional actor...
as Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".... - Adam HerschmanAdam HerschmanAdam Herschman is an American actor.-Film work:Herschman is perhaps most known for his role as Glen in the 2006 film, Accepted. Adam also stars as Archie in Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay , Phillip in Soul Men and as Mr. Pickle's employee in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry...
as Jerry GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead... - The TemptationsThe TemptationsThe Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
(Otis WilliamsOtis WilliamsOtis Williams is an American baritone singer. Nicknamed "Big Daddy", he has also acted as a sporadic songwriter and record producer. Williams co-founded the Motown vocal group The Temptations in early 1960 as The Elgins, a group in which he continues to perform...
, Ron TysonRon TysonRon Tyson is an American tenor/falsetto singer and songwriter. Tyson is the current tenor for long-lived singing group The Temptations, filling the role made famous by Eddie Kendricks in the 1960s.-Biography:...
, Terry WeeksTerry WeeksTerry Wayne Weeks is an American R&B and soul singer who is currently one of the lead singers of the legendary Motown quintet The Temptations....
, Joe HerndonJoe HerndonWalter Joseph Herndon is an American R&B and soul singer, former bass singer of a version of doo-wop group The Spaniels and the current bass singer for The Temptations.-Biography:...
, Bruce WilliamsonBruce Williamson (singer)Bruce Williamson is an American R&B and soul singer; currently a lead singer for The Temptations.-Biography:Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Bruce started singing in church at a young age. Williamson said the love for music began after experiencing jealousy with a cousin of his...
) as themselves - Eddie VedderEddie VedderEddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
as himself - Jackson BrowneJackson BrowneJackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
as himself - JewelJewel (singer)Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
as herself - Ghostface KillahGhostface KillahDennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
as himself - Lyle LovettLyle LovettLyle Pearce Lovett is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Active since 1980, he has recorded thirteen albums and released 21 singles to date, including his highest entry, the number 10 chart hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, "Cowboy Man"...
as himself
Uncredited
- Odette YustmanOdette YustmanOdette Juliette Annable , better known by her birth name Odette Yustman, is an American actress.-Early life:...
as Reefer girl - Jonah HillJonah HillJonah Hill Feldstein , known professionally as Jonah Hill, is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, and comedian. Hill is best known roles for his roles in Superbad, Knocked Up, and Get Him to the Greek. He made his theatrical debut in I Heart Huckabees, alongside Jason Schwartzman and Dustin...
as Adult Nate's ghost - Paul RuddPaul RuddPaul Stephen Rudd is an American actor and screenwriter. He has primarily appeared in comedies, and is known for his roles in the films Clueless, Wet Hot American Summer, Anchorman, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Dinner for Schmucks, The Object of My...
as John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music... - Jack BlackJack BlackJack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
as Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100... - Justin LongJustin LongJustin Jacob Long is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his roles in the Hollywood films Galaxy Quest, Jeepers Creepers, Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard, He's Just Not That into You, Drag Me to Hell, and Youth in Revolt, and his personification of a Mac in Apple's "Get a...
as George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other... - Jason SchwartzmanJason SchwartzmanJason Francesco Schwartzman is an American actor and musician. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Hollywood films Rushmore, Spun, I Heart Huckabees, Shopgirl, Marie Antoinette, The Darjeeling Limited, Funny People, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World...
as Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in... - Gerry BednobGerry Bednob-Career:Gerry currently appears as Bling Bling Shelton in Free Radio on Vh1. He had a role in the 2010 film Furry Vengeance, with Brendan Fraser and Brooke Shields, playing Mr. Gupta. He is also the uncle of Michelle Jhagroo.- Filmography :...
as Maharishi Mahesh YogiMaharishi Mahesh YogiMaharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious... - Patrick DuffyPatrick DuffyPatrick George Duffy is an American character actor of stage and film. He is best known for his role on the CBS television drama Dallas, where he played Bobby Ewing from 1978 to 1985 and from 1986 to 1991, Duffy returns to reprise his role as Bobby in a new up-to-date Dallas currently scheduled to...
(Unrated version) as himself - Morgan FairchildMorgan FairchildMorgan Fairchild is an American actress. She achieved prominence during the late 1970s and early 1980s with continuing roles in several television series, in which she usually conveyed a glamorous image. Fairchild has also performed in live theater and played guest roles in television comedies...
(Unrated version) as herself - Cheryl LaddCheryl LaddCheryl Ladd is an American actress, singer and author. Ladd is best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the television series Charlie's Angels, hired amid a swirl of publicity prior to its second season in 1977 to replace the departing Farrah Fawcett-Majors...
(Unrated version) as herself - Cheryl TiegsCheryl TiegsCheryl Rae Tiegs is an American model and actress.- Early years :Tiegs was born in Breckenridge, Minnesota but raised in Alhambra, California, and she graduated from Alhambra High School in 1965. She also attended the California State University, Los Angeles and became a little sister to the Sigma...
(Unrated version) as herself
Production and development
Jake KasdanJake Kasdan
Jake Kasdan is an American television and film director.Kasdan was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Meg , a writer, and writer-director Lawrence Kasdan. His younger brother, Jon Kasdan, also works in the film and television industry as an actor and writer...
brought the idea to his friend and fellow director Judd Apatow. They then began writing the film together. The tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
references in this fake biopic were drawn from various sources. Apatow and Kasdan noted that they watched various types of biopics for inspiration, including those of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
. Despite the humorous approach, the film was crafted in the serious tone of films earmarked
Earmark (politics)
In United States politics, an earmark is a legislative provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees...
for an Oscar, adding to the irony.
John C. Reilly
John C. Reilly
John Christopher Reilly, Jr. is an American film and theater actor, singer, and comedian. Debuting in Casualties of War in 1989, he is one of several actors whose careers were launched by Brian De Palma. To date, he has appeared in more than fifty films, including three separate films in 2002...
, who actually sings and plays guitar, was chosen to play the title role. "We took the clichés of movie biopics and just had fun with them," Reilly said. The "deliberate miscasting" of celebrity cameos, such as Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, was intended to enhance the comedy. The movie's poster is a reference to the "young lion" photos of Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
.
Reception
The film was praised by notable critics, including Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
, who gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, and it garnered 75% positive reviews at Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, certifying it "fresh". The movie did not find an audience, however, and there were only $18 million in domestic receipts, below the film's budget.
John C. Reilly
John C. Reilly
John Christopher Reilly, Jr. is an American film and theater actor, singer, and comedian. Debuting in Casualties of War in 1989, he is one of several actors whose careers were launched by Brian De Palma. To date, he has appeared in more than fifty films, including three separate films in 2002...
received a Golden Globe nomination for his role, as well as for singing the title song.
It has become a cult favorite due to its many reruns on cable TV.
Home media
The film was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on April 8, 2008. In the opening weekend, 263,001 DVD units were sold, generating revenue of $5,110,109. As of May 2010, DVD sales have gathered revenue of $15,664,735.
Promotional appearances
Along with a backing band "the hardwalkers", Reilly made seven musical appearances as Dewey Cox in the weeks prior to the film's release date.- December 5, 2007 - Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (Cleveland, OH)
- December 6, 2007 - The Cubby Bear (Chicago, IL)
- December 7, 2007 - Stubb's BBQ (Austin, TX)
- December 8, 2007 - Mercy Lounge (Nashville, TN)
- December 10, 2007 - Great American Music HallGreat American Music HallThe Great American Music Hall is a concert hall in San Francisco, California. It is located on O'Farrell Street in the Tenderloin neighborhood on the same block as the Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theater...
(San Francisco, CA) - December 11, 2007 - The Blacksheep (Colorado Springs, CO)
- December 13, 2007 - Guitar Center on Sunset Blvd. (Los Angeles, CA)
- December 19, 2007 - Knitting FactoryKnitting FactoryThe Knitting Factory is a music venue and concert house with locations in Brooklyn, Boise, Reno, and Spokane. The club originally specialized in jazz and experimental music and has expanded to showcasing all genres of music, performing arts and comedy....
(New York, NY) - December 19, 2007 - Performed in the character of Dewey Cox on Good Morning AmericaGood Morning AmericaGood Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
.
Several fake commercials were aired including one with John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, hinting Dewey might be his father.
Soundtrack
Singer-songwriters Dan BernDan Bern
Dan Bern is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, novelist and painter. His music is often compared to that of Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Ochs and Elvis Costello....
and Mike Viola
Mike Viola
Michael "Mike" Viola is an American singer-songwriter best known as singer, songwriter and "musical architect" of a team he called the "Candy Butchers", a pop-rock band from New York City that recorded three critically acclaimed albums for Sony. A native of Stoughton, Massachusetts, Mike began his...
(of the Candy Butchers) wrote most of the film's songs, including There's a Change a Happenin, Mulatto, A Life Without You (Is No Life At All), Beautiful Ride and Hole in My Pants. Charlie Wadhams
Charlie Wadhams
-Music:Charlie Wadhams emerged as a musician in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, in 2002 with his band Rex Aquarium. Through Sea Level Records they recorded and distributed two albums in 2004 and in 2005, Privacy and The Back Of The Room. . The song "Alicia" was named one of top ten songs to play in...
wrote the song Let's Duet. Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Crenshaw is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist best known for his song "Someday, Someway".-Biography:...
wrote the title song, and Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor. Parks is perhaps best known for his contributions as a lyricist on the Beach Boys album Smile....
penned the Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
-esque 1960s-styled psychedelic jam Black Sheep (the recording session seems to be a specific parody of Wilson's Smile album sessions, on which Van Dyke Parks worked). Antonio Ortiz wrote Take My Hand. A number of critics noted the unusually high quality of many of the individual songs on the soundtrack; how well they reflected the styles and times they were attempting to spoof and how well they stood on their own as quality compositions. The soundtrack was nominated for both a Grammy and Golden Globe Award and was nominated and won the Sierra Award for Best Song in a Motion Picture from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
The Las Vegas Film Critics Society is a non-profit organization, composed of selected print, television and internet film critics in the Las Vegas metropolitan area....
. John C. Reilly sang on all the tracks and played guitar on most of them.