John C Reilly showed his comic prowess as Will Ferrell's sidekick in Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby and here he gets the opportunity to go it alone. Jake Kasdan's spoof biopic tells the story of singer Dewey Cox (Reilly), whose stratospheric rise through the music industry takes in teenyboppers, 1960s flower power (Dewey writes protest songs for midgets) and his eventual decline as drugs, sex (he sires 22 children) and old age take their toll. The likeable Reilly is in his element here - particularly in a memorable scene in which the ever-naive Dewey drops acid with the Beatles, prompting a Yellow Submarine cartoon interlude. Co-written by Kasdan and Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, The 40 Year Old Virgin) this is a hilarious pastiche of musical movies like Walk the Line and Ray. Teeming with skits and some very funny songs, the film also features cameos from the likes of Jason Schwartzman, Jack White and Paul Rudd.

Following a childhood tragedy, Dewey Cox follows a long and winding road to music stardom. Dewey perseveres through changing musical styles, an addiction to nearly every drug known and bouts of uncontrollable rage.