Film Review: The Campaign

1. The one-liners

2. Dylan McDermott

3. The dogs
 

1. A bit too fluffy

2. Best jokes in trailers

3. The joke is on us

'THE CAMPAIGN': LESS OF A MESS THAN WASHINGTON

Nothing about this rings with originality. Man wants job. Opponent doesn’t deserve job. Man challenges opponent for job. Challenge results in the physical injury and hurt feelings of both. One man gets job. Everyone learns a lesson.

This may seem overly simple, but it isn’t a con for this movie.

It’s more affective because it allows the actors to do what they do best, develop interesting characters that make us laugh.

Cam Brady (Ferrell) is a long-term Democratic Congressman from the 14th District of North Carolina. He’s about to win his fifth term in Congress when two conniving businessmen looking to gather Washington influence decide to join the game.

Brady hasn’t been on top of his game lately, thanks to an affair and lewd phone call affecting his poll numbers. His well-meaning campaign manager (the brilliantly understated Jason Sudeikis) tries to warn him to straighten up, but to no effect because he’s running unopposed.

Enter the Mock Brothers. In an attempt to make an even larger profit Glenn and Wade Mock (the underused John Lithgow and Dan Aykroyd) hatch a plan to bring their sweat shops to the United States.

They just need a Congressman in their pocket to seal the deal.

Huggins (Zach Galifianakis) is the perfect pawn in their dastardly plan. The local travel guide is as innocent as he looks in his cardigan sweaters.

In a brilliant stroke of casting Galifianakis disarms while he charms. Without asking too many questions, Huggins jumps on board with the Mock Brothers in an attempt to impress his father and clean up Washington.

What Huggins doesn’t realize is that he’s just sold his soul to Bass Pro Shops.

Teams (lead by the haunting Dylan McDermott) swarm in to makeover everything in his life, and they aren’t satisfied until they’ve left him with a painting of a bald eagle above his fireplace.

It’s here that this movie is most effective with political commentary. What about Huggins declaring himself a Republican necessitates such an extreme makeover?

You may start to wonder, but don’t expect to come to any grand revelations because there are too many fun, distracting laughs keeping things light.

No new ground is broken in terms of story or satire, but if we’re honest with ourselves, that’s not what we’re here for.

If you’re interested in seeing “The Campaign,” you’re probably already quoting it. And really, the one liners are the best part about any Will Ferrell comedy.

If you haven’t already seen the trailer a thousand times, try to stay away from it. You can only laugh at the same joke so many times, and they’re always better in context.

Deftly timed with a release just weeks before the Republican National Convention, “The Campaign” makes no secret that everything political is fair game.

The movie is more purple than blue or red.

It’s an equal opportunity spoof, but the saddest part is how realistic some of the gags get to the present day political atmosphere.

You’ll laugh as loud as the person next to you, but don’t be surprised as that laugh starts to fade on the way out to the parking lot. It’s only a matter of time before you realize the laugh is on us.

This movie is as fluffy as Will Ferrell's hair. It's good for a few laughs but the one liners are more memorable than the movie itself.