Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Alfred Yankovic (Daniel Radliffe) didn’t have it easy in his childhood. His love of polka music elicits shakes from his mother (Julianne Nicholson) and father (Toby Huss). Al is not supposed to learn music, but something real, and later works like his father in the factory where nobody seems to know exactly what is made there. But fate has other plans for little Al. He came into possession of an accordion through a door knocker and decided to parody well-known songs.

With his version of The Knacks “My Sharona” entitled “My Bologna” he landed his first hit and from then on he climbed higher and faster in the music industry. Of course, that arouses desire. And so one day music superstar Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood) comes to Al’s door and asks him to parody her song “Like A Virgin” so that the sales of her songs will skyrocket. It’s too late for Al to realize what a bad influence Madonna is.

Although Weird Al Yankovic claims that everything about his life story presented here is true, of course, this is not true at all. As one would expect from the fun musician, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story pokes fun at the overused blueprints of the music biopic genre. Not all of the gags indeed catch fire, but there are so many weird ideas that you’re kept entertained throughout.

• Weird: The Al Yankovic Story