Band wanders down a dusty road. Band in a barn. Band in a boat. Band under old-timey lightbulbs. Band in matching outfits. Band metaphorically making out with itself. Band making out with itself.
With exception to the latter, the new music video for Mumford & Sons’ “Hopeless Wanderer” makes fun of the folksy tropes of roots rock bands with the help of Jason Bateman, Ed Helms, Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte starring as Mumford & Sons themselves.
What starts out as a normal, sun-spattered trip into a grassy field turns into literal chaos as two “Horrible Bosses” leads, Helms and Sudeikis’ “Saturday Night Live” cohort Forte bang out comedy gold. Homoeroticism, unbearable melancholy, banjo solos, The Who-inspired breakage, dripping instruments, vaudeville and a singularly spectacular beard combine for this effective interpretation of the “Babel” track.
Shows you that Mumford & Sons knows what you think about them. And about folk-rock videos in general. Don’t kick the kick drum.