Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny
If you are not already a fan of this comedy folk-meta duo, then this movie may not be your best entertainment dollar spent. Cast in the same “Love Letter to the Fans” mold as Wayne’s World, The Pick of Destiny is a short and sweet warrior romp for the fans, charting the D’s humble origins to their near-mythological cult status today. If you don’t have their eponymous CD, go get it, and listen to it. If it changes your life, you will love this movie. If not, well, you have an awesome CD, and too bad for you it didn’t change your life.
In all their operatic glory, Tenacious D could skate by on a feature length fantasia of their hilarious music videos alone. Instead, our overweight epic songsters embark upon a buddy/caper movie quest to be the most awesome band ever (just so they can pay the rent). They need The Pick to achieve this (as compared to hard work or talent), which is the story’s arrested developmental charm.
The movie is chockablock with movie and music references, bizarre and delightful cameos, and a very self-aware level of silly, joyous play, as we expect from this genuinely talented duo. But really, it is what it is, as my companion succinctly summarized, even as we clutched our Tenacious D T-shirts in adoring glee. It’s echoes the personae the band members Jack Black and Kyle Gass - making a big show of being exactly who they already are. The songs are new and rapid-fire funny, and high energy.
The usual groups will decry Pick of Destiny for its profanity (in every dictionary definition of the word) and its drug use - it’s not so much glamorized as rendered life-sustaining. It also endorses all manner of hilarious criminal activities, and puts the words of Jack Black into the mouth of an innocent child (who looks just like him!) It of course (like Wayne’s World) zips through the plot points, be they obstacles or triumphs, as merely a vehicle for the real fun stuff to happen. I did like this much better than I did Wayne’s World.
The movie also does assume you already love Black’s and Gass’ delicate combo of insecurity, arrogance, ambition, laziness, mutual abuse and admiration, and of course, their sheer awesomeness. It might not win any new converts, but it will surely float the boat of their fans. It’s great to see the source of their preternatural genius. I’d also be curious as to which song they could possibly submit for Best Original Song, since they are all full of hilarious sexual imagery. Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny is diverting and fun and a great treat for fans, but it’s as forgettable as Chinese dinner at the nursing home. Check it out.
MPAA Rating R- pervasive language, sexual content, drug use
Release date 11/22/06
Time in minutes 93
Director Liam Lynch
Studio New Line Cinema
