Dicks: The Musical

This is a reboot of The Parent Trap as a musical. Identical twins separated at birth, each brought up by a single parent, both become top salesman at the same company. When they are brought together, they realize their relationship. Hankering for a "normal" 2-parent family, they hatch a plot to get their parents together and re-marry.

Switching identities, they each visit the other parent's apartments, and work on getting their reclusive parents to go out to dinner, where they would then meet. However, rather than detail the parents' eccentricities to each other in advance, they both jump in uninformed, and are shocked at what they find.

Originating as a 2-person play, most scenes are 2-person scenes, except for the extravagant musical numbers. Bowen Yang does an amusing turn as God, leading the ensemble in the song "Love is Love". Megan Thee Stallion plays the business founder, and her song is about a power woman dominating men. Nathan Lane is the father who has come out as gay, and is reasonably (but not overly) flamboyant. Having worked together for years, the main characters are very comfortable with each other.

I saw this at the world premiere weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the directors were present, even though as the main actors they would be on strike. This was presented as part of the Midnight Madness program, and they were awed at seeing their "little" project on really big screens (my presentation was on an IMAX screen, and that was not the biggest screen the film played on). In response to a question, they said that they had no trouble getting their "dream team" to work on the film, as the various big-name actors had a positive reaction to the script.

I did find some parts overwhelming - the mother's apartment decor, and the father's pets. Also, the twins did not make any attempt to look alike, despite everyone around them keeping confusing them for each other. This suspension of disbelief is common in live theater, but seems iffy on film.

This film won the TIFF People's Choice Award in the Midnight Madness category.

I told my partner, "This looks terrible. I'm pressing play." I am so glad I did. Sometimes you just need unhinged comedy in your life and that's exactly what I needed tonight. It's seriously the most ridiculous movie I've ever enjoyed. I kept laughing unexpectedly to the point of choking. It kept getting more and absurd with every passing moment and just when I thought it couldn't get more ludicrous, it found a way to take it to the next level.

Would I recommend this movie?

Not to most people, but if you're having a really bad day and you want something to take your mind off your problems and are willing to disregard any sense of decency, this might be the film for you. Worked for me.

I had such high hopes for this movie walking into the theater; I was really rooting for this to be a success. I couldn't have been more predisposed to seeing all its best qualities. An hour and 26 minutes later, I regretted every one of my decisions to see this pure piece of garbage. What adds to the heartbreak is the inclusion of such exceptional performers like Megan Mullaly and Nathan Lane. Not even their talented genius could flog this DOA dumpster fire back to life. The writing lacked originality and wit, and saw fit to instead substitute tortured jokes that begged for a pity laugh. Each song became more and more forgettable. You could feel all six people in the auditorium begging for a swift ending to put us out of our misery. When the writing and the music aren't competing for the Gold Medal in the Film Failure Olympics, the bizarre, shoe-horned gags are hard at work making you cringe. A disjointed plot line about sewer monsters and a detached vagina pile onto this crime against cinema, which should be tried in The Hague. It would be less painful to watch the movie musical Cats.

I love both you, Nathan and Megan but WTF were you thinking. I'm only a half hour into the movie and I'm like, did Nathan do a ton of mushrooms during Covid lockdown. How did this happen? Campy? Check. Bizarre? Check. But this is like John waters decided he wanted a gay coming out movie premiere. In still going to finish it. And I'm not disliking the movie just not what I was expecting and not really sure what to think, how to feel, or if I should really watch this. And I'm a 53 yr old gay man with a theater background from NY city Broadway. Seriously? This long without an original and this is what you come up with? Other than what I've just said I'm speechless and will never speak of this again.

Very funny and raunchy film held together by the committed performances of the two leads, Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson, as well as terrific turns by Nathan Lane and Megan Mullally as their eccentric parents.

The film also has some well sung catchy songs, two hysterical creatures that have to be seen to be believed, and an amusing performance by Bowen Yang as God.

The Premise: Two identical twins meet each other for the first time. Both men having been raised by a single biological parent, they set off on a mission to meet the parent they never knew and reunite them so they can be a family again. It's like The Parent Trap on crack.

There are a couple of things that didn't work for me. Megan thee Stallion is poorly cast and unfunny as the men's boss. The crude lyrics can sometimes undermine a well written song with the final number especially questionable.

But if you get camp and/or are gay you will probably love this film as I did. If you are neither of those and are easily offended, you may want to pass this by.