Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis together in a film. It must be funny. Or is it? SIDEWALKS’ Mika has her take on “The Campaign.”
“THE CAMPAIGN”
Warner Bros. Pictures
Opening Date: Friday, August 10, 2012
MPAA Rating: R for “crude sexual content, language and brief nudity”
Run Time: 85 minutes
Studio Synopsis:
When long-term congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) commits a major public gaffe before an upcoming election, a pair of ultra-wealthy CEOs plot to put up a rival candidate and gain influence over their North Carolina district. Their man: naïve Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), director of the local Tourism Center.
At first, Marty appears to be the unlikeliest possible choice but, with the help of his new benefactors’ support, a cutthroat campaign manager and his family’s political connections, he soon becomes a contender who gives the charismatic Cam plenty to worry about.
As election day closes in, the two are locked in a dead heat, with insults quickly escalating to injury until all they care about is burying each other, in this mud-slinging, back-stabbing, home-wrecking comedy from “Meet the Parents” director Jay Roach that takes today’s political circus to its logical next level. Because even when you think campaign ethics have hit rock bottom, there’s room to dig a whole lot deeper.
The comedy “The Campaign” stars Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott and Katherine LaNasa, with John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd and Brian Cox. Directed by Jay Roach and written by Chris Henchy & Shawn Harwell, from a story by Adam McKay & Chris Henchy & Shawn Harwell, it is produced by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Jay Roach and Zach Galifianakis. Amy Sayres, Jon Poll and Chris Henchy serve as executive producers.
The creative filmmaking team includes director of photography Jim Denault (Emmy nominee for HBO’s “Carnivàle”); production designer Michael Corenblith (Oscar® nominee, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Apollo 13”); editors Craig Alpert (“Knocked Up,” “Borat”) and Jon Poll (“Meet the Fockers”); and costume designer Daniel Orlandi (“The Blind Side”).
“The Campaign” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JkHxfi4c3I[/youtube]
Mika’s Take:
Zach Galifinakis is a funny man. Will Ferrell is even funnier (in my opinion). Together the duo are match made in comedy heaven.
I had seen a lot of trailers for “The Campaign” prior to my viewing and this may have impacted my overall review on the whole film. There were definitely some funny parts, but I was spoiled a lot by the trailers I had already seen and I knew what to expect.
“The Campaign” portrays two candidates, Cam Brady (Ferrell) and Marty Huggins (Galifinakis), who run for office and attack each other physically and verbally, both in person and on television. It’s an exaggerated story of how our political process runs today, yet this one will keep you laughing until the winner is crowned. What makes the movie so funny to me are the Southern accents that everyone has (especially Ferrell’s) and the extremity that each go through to win the race. Cam and Marty are constantly trying to one-up one another, playing tricks and exchanging words in hopes of bringing the other down.
Will Ferrell movies always bring a chuckle (or two) out of you, and “The Campaign” does not disappoint.
Overall rating : B