Poor Daveed Diggs. Yoga Boner, being one of his few film credits (let alone a film named, y'know, Yoga Boner), is sure to get more circulation in the wake of Hamilton's rampant success - but it really probably shouldn't. Essentially, Yoga Boner is a prime example of one of those earlier throwaway works in a subsequently successful artist's careers that they'd probably devote considerable resources into burying if they could. But, thanks to the wondrous world wide web, gloriously embarrassing forays like Yoga Boner can't be buried if you tried. And, like Jefferson, I'm sure Daveed tried.
Which isn't too say Yoga Boner (I'm just going out of my way to repeat it now) is outright awful - there's just really not much too it. For one thing, it's more music video of Daveed and compatriot/writer/director/co-star Andrew Bancroft (aka: "Jelly Donut") rapping than film. Still, in spite of the absurdly simple (and fairly sexist) premise, the film goes about its stupidity in such a cheekily (get it? because butts in yoga tights? if that pun worked for you, Yoga Boner is probably for you) forthright fashion there are a fair few chuckles to be had. Granted, most of those are chuckles of 'I can't believe this is happening' incredulity at the sight of the Tony award winning actor who charmed the hearts of the world as founding father and America's favourite fighting Frenchman strutting around with the worst inflatable erection since Anchorman, or a man answering to the name Jelly Donut yogic flying while rapping about his penis. But hey - beggars can't be choosers, I s'pose.
There's a surreal twist ending which is pretty fun, but we're mired in pretty stale, one- note teenage boy humour otherwise. Watching this, it's easy to remember why, before its puerile innuendo, "boner" used to be synonymous with "idiotic mistake." Diggs and Bancroft are solid rappers - enough so that, even pre-Hamilton, there's a pretty clear feeling that Yoga Boners (yup, one more for the road) is beneath their talents. One might say they didn't rise to the occasion.
Okay, that's it - clearly the blood has rushed out of my head to, um, elsewhere. I'm out. Save yourselves!
-5/10
