Absolutely, Positively, the Most Underated Movie Ever Made

Rating: 10/10 (17 October 2011)

Seven years ago I wrote a review of "Dewey Cox" in which I gave it eight stars, and conceded it was probably not a movie for everyone. Since that time, I've had the opportunity to rewatch it numerous times, and with each viewing, I like this movie even more. Bottom line:
THIS MOVIE IS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. IT IS THE MOST UNDERRATED MOVIE EVER MADE.
I can write a thousand words about why this movie is so good. The acting, the original songs, the humor, the unbelievable cast, the costumes, the cinematography, the creativity, etc. Everything looks so authentic, there are moments in which you genuinely forget you are NOT really watching historical footage from 1966, or watching a cheesy 1978 variety show. By the end, when viewing the "Lifetime Achievement Award," you may actually find yourself forgetting Dewey Cox is a fictional creation.
A much more interesting discussion, however, is WHY DID THIS MOVIE BOMB? Why has it received so many poor reviews, and why has it been relegated to complete obscurity, when compared to its "peers" such as Talladega Nights and Superbad? Let's toss out some theories:
1. You really need to be a music fan to enjoy this movie at the level it's meant to be enjoyed, especially classic rock. You have to be able to appreciate the parodies of Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Buddy Holly, the Beatles, George Jones, etc.
2. You really need to be familiar with Ray and Walk the Line to appreciate all the jokes.
3. As a Judd Apatow movie, this movie was probably primarily viewed in the theater by young people who couldn't appreciate all the Baby Boomer humor.
4. Face it, full-frontal dude nudity freaks people out.
5. Some people will find this movie too offensive, and too tasteless. They are pretty shameless with the "Cox" double entendres. Additionally, some may feel they are crassly ridiculing Johnny Cash's tragedy, or Ray Charles' blindness.
Bottom line, never has pop culture been so thoroughly skewered in such a creative, hilarious fashion. John C. Reilly gives what very well might be the greatest comedic performance OF ALL TIME.
THE RIGHT KID LIVED!