One of the best comedy movies of the 21st century is on TV tonight

Stephen Porzio

This spoof is wickedly clever, immensely quotable and filled with incredible cameos.

Our TV movie pick for tonight (Sunday, 4 August) is Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, the 2007 spoof comedy poking fun at musical biopics like I’m Not There, Ray and Walk the Line.

John C. Reilly (Boogie Nights, Step Brothers) stars as early rock and roll musician Dewey Cox, with the film charting his long and winding road to music stardom.

The plot synopsis reads:

“The up-and-down-and-up-again story of musician Dewey Cox, whose songs would change a nation. On his rock ‘n roll spiral, Cox sleeps with 411 women, marries three times, has 36 kids, stars in his own 70s TV show, collects friends ranging from Elvis to the Beatles to a chimp, and gets addicted to – and then kicks – every drug known to man; but despite it all, Cox grows into a national icon and eventually earns the love of a good woman – longtime backup singer Darlene (Jenna Fischer, The Office).”

Walk Hard was co-written by Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin) and boasts a stacked cast, including Kristen Wiig as Dewey’s first wife; Jack White as Elvis Presley; and Jack Black, Jason Schwartzman, Justin Long and Paul Rudd as the members of The Beatles.

Absolutely jam-packed with hilarious jokes and incredible cameos, it is the type of parody movie that both people who love the tropes of music biopics and people who hate them can both enjoy.

While a hit with critics – the film earned comparisons to Airplane! and The Naked Gun, while Reilly was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance – Walk Hard was sadly not a hit at the box office, though it is now widely thought of as a cult classic.

It is airing on TV tonight on Comedy Central at 9pm and is also available to rent on Apple, Google Play, Microsoft and the Sky Store.

Here are the other movies airing on TV tonight:

Bad Boys For Life – E4 – 9pm

“Bad boys, bad boys / Whatcha gonna do?”

Midnight Special – Sky Sci-Fi – 9pm

A film we’ve previously recommended, this gripping sci-fi thriller follows a father (Michael Shannon) and son (Jaeden Martell) on the run, pursued by the government (represented by Adam Driver) and a cult drawn to the child’s special powers.

Under Suspicion – Legend – 9pm

Liam Neeson and Laura San Giacomo headline this 1991 erotic thriller.

Ghost Rider – Film4 – 9pm

The 2007 Marvel superhero flick with Nicolas Cage as a motorcycle stuntman who becomes a bounty hunter of evil demons.

Curse of the Crimson Altar / The Devil Rides Out – Legend Xtra – 9pm / 10.50pm

A Christopher Lee horror double bill.

Sudden Death – ITV4 – 9.10pm

Jean-Claude Van Damme faces off against terrorists at an ice hockey game in this well-liked ’90s action thriller.

3:10 to Yuma – Film4 – 11.15pm

The acclaimed Western with Christian Bale and Russell Crowe.

Booksmart – BBC One – 11.50pm

Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever are straight-A students looking to party on the eve of their high school graduation in this other brilliant comedy.

Fire Island – Channel 4 – 11.55pm

This romantic comedy inspired by Pride and Prejudice follows a group of friends (including Bowen Yang and Joel Kim Booster) who embark on a weeklong vacation to Fire Island, the famous gay escape destination in New York.