Good, but have reasonable expectations

Rating: 8/10 (25 December 2007)

I really enjoyed this movie...lots of sexual innuendo (more than I care for) but that is what Apatow is known for in his movies. It's too bad because it (along with the terrible Beatles impersonations) cheapen the spot on parody of musician biopics. Reilly is great although he doesn't make for a convincing 14 year old but that is probably the point! He's a great singer and while I don't think I'll be buying the soundtrack, they had a very talented group of songwriters crafting the tunes that propel Dewey Cox to the top of pop stardom. The film is unevenly paced with an emphasis on his early years and then little attention given to his actual music career once he becomes popular. A little too much of the focus on his drug addiction but maybe that is part of the parody factor as well. This is one of those movies that is good but could have been SO much better with some additional scenes to illustrate how his career developed instead of solely on his personal life.
I recommend this film but it's important not to have inflated expectations. It's got some really hilarious bits but don't expect it to be over-the-top funny.