Dumb = Funny!

It takes a genius to make the stupid funny. So many comedies are dumb, and aren't funny because they were made by dumb people. If there has ever been an actor who has had the ability to use his intelligence to create hilarious stupidity, it's Will Ferrell. The former Saturday Night Live cast member stars and co-wrote "Anchorman," and it is quite simply, one of the funniest movies of the year.

"Anchorman" is the story of Ron Burgundy (Ferrell), a self-loving, none-too-intelligent news anchor in 1970s San Diego. He is a "god among mere mortals" in his city, and everyone adores him...despite the fact that he thinks San Diego is German for whale's vagina and his idea of a pick-up line is "I have many leather bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany." He is the star of the channel 4 news team along with field reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), sports reporter Champ Kind (David Koechner), and the mentally incompetent weatherman, Brick (Steve Carell). News is a mans game, these fellows are number one in the ratings, and all is well...until Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) is hired as a new reporter, and the battle of the sexes begins.

"Anchorman"'s humor is based in lunacy, so expect some bizarre moments, like a gruesome street fight between four news studios (complete with some of the best cameos ever put on film), some sing-alongs, a surreal animated segment, and a hilarious burrito accident. The humor is very SNL-like, so if you like that kind of humor, then you should be okay here.

The real treat, is Ferrell. Burgundy is one of the greatest comic characters of all time, and time should place him up there with Groucho Marx and the Three Stooges. I haven't seen such a perfectly performed comic role in years. From Ferrell's look, to his line delivery, it's comic gold. Almost as good is Ferrell is Carell as Brick. This is a character so strange and off-beat, that he will make even the strangest and stupidest people feels superior to him.

I could tell you more, but it's best to leave everything as a surprise. "Anchorman" is one of the year's biggest surprises, and it's one of the funniest movies I have ever seen.

© Written by Jacob Hall

How We Rated This Film TC Candler - B- Richard Propes - B Jacob Hall - A-

TC Candler's Comment

This film throws so many jokes at the audience that it is bound to work at least some of the time.  Unfortunately, there are a ton of dead spots too where jokes just fall flat.  I can recommend this silly comedy... but only just.

Richard Propes' Comment

This film is not brilliant cinema...not by a long stretch...but, it is funny, often very funny and a wonderful way to spend a couple hours...stick around for the credits and after the credits...much like happened with "Dodgeball", I stuck around (as always) for the very end of the credits and was pleasantly rewarded. I was, once again, one of the very few who had stuck around...word of mouth, I guess, hasn't gotten around about the end of the film. Well, consider yourself "in the know" now...so, stick around, catch this film and be prepared to laugh.