The Campaign Is Funny Fare for This Season — and Surprisingly Fair
Huggins earnestly sees the race as a chance to help his community, but is made over by Motch campaign-manager-in-the-clutch Tim Wattley. Dylan McDermott does a great job as the campaign manager all Washington reporters know too well. The makeover includes swapping Marty’s pugs for a Lab and a Golden Retriever and giving his wife “Katie Couric hair” to help counter focus groups that call Huggins “clammy,” “probably Serbian,” and “looks like the Travelocity gnome.”
The send-up of campaign advertising, especially considering real ads that have appeared in this go-round, is one of the high points of the script. Brady tries using his mistress in a campaign ad alongside Bill Clinton and Arnold Schwarzenegger to prove his manliness. The Democrat then goes after his Republican challenger with an ad showing that Islamic extremists from al-Qaeda to the Taliban have one thing in common — facial hair — so the mustachioed Huggins should take a lie-detector test to prove he’s not al-Qaeda.
And to think this was produced before Harry Reid’s tax return accusations.
During one debate where Brady compares Huggins’ ‘stache to Saddam Hussein’s and claims his sons “Uday and Falafel” are still at large, Huggins challenges the Democrat to say the “Our Father.” It doesn’t quite go well for the Dem. At another debate, Huggins wields a 2nd-grade crayon-scrawled “manifesto” from the congressman on “Rainbowland,” which he says encourages redistribution of wealth. There’s even a well-placed “hunting accident” that gives the Republican a hike in the polls.
In summary, the characters’ personalities are drawn so that the audience roots for the underdog family-guy Republican over the incumbent womanizing Democrat.
The Campaign is a brisk 85 minutes and funnier than the previews let on, though some may find some of the humor too gross-out. The fat-cat financiers conspiring from an ivory tower is a bit tired, and the movie also takes a dig at the integrity of electronic voting, but viewers won’t exactly walk out of this comedy with any political conversions.
I’m sure I will be catching this again on cable, though, when Campaign 2012 is a memory, when the real-life ads and accusations will have gotten even worse than they are now (and The Campaign suggests dealing with these cage-match style, which wouldn’t be such a bad idea at this point), and when I fondly recall having nachos with Mr. Campaign Finance Reform.
The fact that Will Ferrell is in it means that I would not be able to enjoy it. Even if it is as fair as you say, I would be constantly waiting for the insult. It’s the same reason I can’t watch any of the late-night comics any more.
I’m just going to wait for this to get to Netflix. And then not put it in my queue.
Will Farrell and that Zach guy are on my “Hollywood blacklist”, so its not likely I’ll ever see this movie. There are so many good movies I haven’t seen. Some of them silent and or black & white.
Well it is strange, but not unheard of, to see anti-capitalists go all capitalist. The willing suspension of disbelief is in full effect here. I will probably see this on netflix. Not worth the money it takes to see it on the big screen.
Yeuh! Dats da ticket…
Michael Medved reviewed this movie and gave it two stars. Mostly for its horrendous portrayal of Christians. I suppose that’s par for Hollywood, but it’s disgusting in its bigotry.
Is anybody else just burnt out on Will Ferrell ?
And I will not watch that dope smoking liberal
These Saturday Night Live retreads just aren’t funny
Given the fact they target 14 – 17 year olds I guess their on par from a maturity level
I certainly appreciate you taking the time to provide such an informative review.
However, both of these actors have repeatedly, and I do mean repeatedly, insulted me and my political viewpoint. These two main actors have not engaged in any kind of intellectual comeback to my political beliefs, but have simply engaged in petty, childish, name-calling (tea party is racist, racist, racist, etc.)
Given that, there is no way I (or my family) will pay money to see one of their movies anymore. There are just too many other options (a good minor league baseball game for example) for our entertainment dollars.
The media has been telling me for the past 10 years how hilarious the Will Ferell product is. I’ll give the guy credit….He was able to parlay a couple of cute skits on SNL into a multi million dollar career where he basically plays the same character in movies over and over……and over….and over. Kind of like Elvis did in his movies, Will is doing with……ahem…comedy.