Craig (Josh Sharp) and Trevor (Aaron Jackson) are ’identical’ and ‘straight’ self obsessed twins who, until the two companies they work at merge, didn’t know the other existed. They plot together to get their Mother (Megan Mullally) and Father (Nathan Lane) back together and boundary pushing hilarity ensues.

I would put money down that you’re not gonna see a crazier movie than this this year, or next.

Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson in Dicks: The Musical

In 2015, Josh and Aaron created a 30 minute musical in which they played long lost twins and each of them could also play a parent each. The  loosely inspired by The Parent Trap they set out to make “Let’s just do a funny little half hour crazy queer musical!”and they made a show, originally titled ‘Fucking Identical Twins’ that was performed in the basement of Gristedes (an off Broadway venue).

The pair were part of the Upright Citizens’ Brigade Theatre Company, an impro and sketch comedy group that started in Chicago in 1990 with, among others, Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Matt Walsh and Adam McKay as its founding members and along the way has had in its company, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Mantzoukas, Abby Jacobson and Iliana Glazer (Broad City), Nick Kroll, Zach Woods, Kyle Mooney and Ben Schwartz. It’s a breeding ground for great improv comics.

Ffwd to 2023, and A24 release a film version of the musical that jumps right over any, and I mean any, line that has been drawn in the sand of taste, and declares itself here, queer and defo, not going shopping and very funny.

Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally, Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp in Dicks: The Musical

Dicks: The Musical shares shock DNA with Matt and Trey’s South Park the Musical, Team America:World Police and The Book of Mormon and directed by Larry Charles, whose pedigree speaks for itself, (Seinfeld, Borat and Bruno) this is a very funny musical that defo pushes the boundaries of taste, depending on your personal line, and mixes sweetness with filth like no other film you’ll see any time soon.

It dares to tread where few have gone before and why not?
A film like this needs to exist, it shows that we are unafraid to cross the line. Crossing the line is healthy and shows a balanced fair society. Not for everyone but great that it exists.

Megan Thee Stallion lets the boys know who’s the boss in Dicks: The Musical

There is an outtake during the credits where Josh starts laughing and Aaron asks what he’s laughing at, to which Josh replies “That we’re making this film”. Indeed, who would have thunk it? 

It’s a shock, a joyous one, but a shock nevertheless that this film has been made and we give thanks to A24.
I’m not sure who I’d recommend this film to. Definitely not my Mum. Anyone who likes musicals, is not easily offended and likes an unexpected laugh.

Things happen in this film that you couldn’t pick in a million years.
Sewer boys, a flying body part and some incest that would make Cersei and Jamie Lannister blush.

Featuring queens, Megan Thee Stallion, Megan Mullally, Nathan Lane and, of course, Bowen Yang, who was an old friend of the pair from the days at UCB. Megan Mullally and Nathan lane clearly have a blast with the material as is evident in the outtakes over the end credits and are both brilliant, as usual.

Bowen Yang as God!!!!!!!

The only time the film slowed for a minute was during the Megan Thee Stallion song, which wasn’t bad it just didn’t feel apart of the narrative, more of an aside. A minor quibble.
The songs are all catchy, with the lyrics well written by the Josh and Aaron and given a bed of music by co-composer, Karl Saint Lucy and award winning producer, Marius De Vries, they are perfectly composed and fit brilliantly into the canon of musical numbers. This will be a midnight adult sing along show before long in the vein of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Mamma Mia.

The casting of Bowen Yang as God in glitter may be blasphemous to some but here he gets to queen it up to the max and has a lot of fun whilst doing so.
The song at the finale may also have fundamentalists fainting and screaming but the audacity of it deserves a tilt of the hat.

Nathan Lane and Megan Mullally in Dicks: The Musical

The gayest, most outrageous musical comedy you will see all year and probably next year as well.
Not for the easily offended or faint of heart.