

Many people will not recognize these actors. Imagine watching this video in ten years. What does seeing Ed Helms play a piano, or Jason kissing Will’s beard, add to the song? Not much.ģ. That’s why we go to the trouble of creating a visual representation of the song instead of just listening to it. The song is beautiful but most truly great music videos add something to the song. The video is not saying anything meaningful beyond the lyrics. (Aside from If you Google “stunt casting define” you get this: “Casting that refers to hiring well known actors, such as movie stars, to play bit parts…” Not that there is anything wrong with stunt casting, it is a time-honored tradition with a distinguished past (See: Eddie Murphy and Magic Johnson in Michael Jackson’s “Remember The Time”). Here is why the people who are saying it is the best thing ever are completely wrong:ġ. It is a complaint toward the reaction to the video. This is not an attack on the video, the band or the actors. Thought Catalog readers aren’t known for their discerning ability to stay calm and NOT overreact so let me lay it out clearly for you. But there are reasons this isn’t the best thing ever. Additionally, the cinematography and direction of the video are solid and the song is catchy. It’s a cute bit of popular culture that will soon be digested.ĭon’t get me wrong, all the actors are extremely talented, funny men (who I hope don’t read this, can’t read at all, or at least don’t hold a grudge). Please have the common sense to realize that this, just like the LAST thing on the internet you said was the best thing ever, is not. But WHY THE HELL IS EVERYONE SAYING IT IS THE BEST MUSIC VIDEO EVER?! Please stop. And they, and the band, are clearly having a little fun. Ed Helms, Jason Bateman, Will Forte and Jason Sudeikis pretending to be Mumford & Sons. Let’s analyze why you might ever say such a thing. Wooh! Everyone stop making music videos! Nothing will ever beat that! Right?! Right internet commenters and Facebook posters?! Here it is: Mumford & Sons’ “Hopeless Wanderer.” Do yourself a favor and watch it one or a hundred more times. Man, those comedic actors were really- Forget it. This article is probably sponsored by it. It is playing on every screen in America. Forte’s fake scraggle-beard is obviously amazing, but don’t sleep on Sudeikis’s fake earrings. Either way, whether you enjoy liking or detesting this band, it’s a fun video. And honestly, isn’t it a little bit brave for a band to hire famous people to make their whole thing look stupid in their own music video? I think it is. The video stays pretty straight-faced most of the way, which only serves to further skewer the band’s deathlessly sincere old-timey pose. First, there was Idris Elba in “ Lover Of The Light.” And now comes the “Hopeless Wanderer” video, which features an all-star cast of famous comedy bros - Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman, Will Forte, noted bluegrass aficionado Ed Helms - all doing their best Mumford impressions and making what might be the most Mumford video of all-time. (I do like them, though.) And yet, they’ve pulled at least a couple of moves that seem directed toward making you, Stereogum reader, like them at least a little bit, including the repeated casting of people you already like in their music videos. British banjo-folk pastiche-kings Mumford & Sons are more famous than a motherfucker, so they don’t have to care whether you like them or not.Hopeless wanderer movie#