Trailer: John C. Reilly in ‘Walk Hard’

Never having truly immersed himself in straight-up comedy until last year’s Talladega Nights, and seemingly comfortable in co-starring or supporting roles (highlights: the P.T. Anderson collection) John C. Reilly is making his high-profile starring role debut in the Jake Kasdan (Freaks and Geeks, The TV Set) directed, Judd Apatow (omnipresent) scripted mock-music-biopic spanning 40 years of hits and misses in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

Legitimate music notables include Jack White (as Elvis), Eddie Vedder, Jewel, Ghostface Killah, Lyle Lovett (themselves, says The Playlist) along with regular Hollywood folk - Jenna Fischer as Reilly’s June Carter-like love interest - Jack Black, Kristen Wiig, Justin Long, Paul Rudd, and a host of Apatow’s usuals receiving their obligatory screen time.

Pic looks to originate in Walk the Line territory and gradually devolve into every historical biopic ever made, tinged with the silly sweetness of an Anchorman - worst-case - a Joe Dirt.

Trailer likely won’t blow minds right out of the gate. Heavy on the early-life exposition, and the song-titled innuendo apparently is a recurring theme - that can go either way. Though there’s a wealth of talent invested, not an early-peek that divulges the film’s best moments, or so we can hope.

Film Ick has the trailer for you for download. Release date for Walk Hard is December 21st, and the trailer can be seen this weekend in theaters, prior to Superbad.

Update: YouTube.

tedzee | Permalink | August 16 2007 | Comments (View)