Dicks: The Musical | Review by: Luke Elisio
It seems like each year there is a single movie released that is utterly bonkers, truly off-the-wall ridiculous and yet also wildly hilarious and infinitely lovable. In 2023, that movie is unquestionably “Dicks: The Musical.” Yes, the title for A24’s first musical will undoubtedly be off-putting to some, but trust and believe that this wonderfully irreverent comedy is smart about how it crosses the line of good taste. Which, is quite frequently. As foul-mouthed as it is clever and satirical with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek, “Dicks: The Musical” begs the question: how can something so stupid be so brilliant?”
The answer is of course Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson the duo who not only star in “Dicks: The Musical,” but also wrote the screenplay as well as the off-Broadway musical it’s based on. Rarely is a creative pair as hilariously harmonious as these two are. From their wildly enjoyable performances to their endlessly quotable script, these two are destined to make dozens of more movies together. If they could put their unique, unabashedly absurd spin on every genre and medium possible, audiences across the globe will be guaranteed to be laughing for years to come. Their comedic take on every genre is needed. It’s a touch surprising that they didn’t direct the movie as well, frankly. Director Larry Charles does a phenomenal job though. Charles crafts the kind of comedy movie that flawlessly captures the nonsensical, zero-stake, completely bananas tone of the kind of movies that would have been released in the early 2000s.
Helping land every silly joke in the fast-paced “Dicks: The Musical” is the stupendous supporting cast. Megan Mullally, Nathan Lane and yes, even Megan Thee Stallion, get their chance to shine in this movie. The ladder more so for her jaw-dropping rap performance rather than her acting, but if there’s any justice in the world, Meg will earn a Best Original Song Oscar nomination for “Out Alpha the Alpha.” Mullally, who commits to the utter wackiness of her role to a degree I’ve never had the pleasure of witnessing any actor do before, certainly deserves every award imaginable. The delivery of every line out of her mouth is a master class in comedic acting. She has a formidable scene partner in Lane who naturally is perfectly at home giving a wholehearted performance in an irreverent comedy.
“Dicks: The Musical” is exactly the type of movie one would expect from a studio like A24. Like all of their movies this definitely won’t appeal to everyone but the people who do understand the lovable bizarreness of it will fall head over heels in love. An encore (or several) is well deserved.
