Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with my look at ANCHORMAN starring Will Ferrell as the titular Ron Burgundy. If this film doesn't skyrocket Ferrell into super-stardom then I don't know what will. I personally think he's already there, but this film perfectly cements his place on the Mt. Olympus of popular Comedy Actors.
Now, before I get into this review I have to give you folks a word of warning. This review is going to suck huge hairy balls. It might even be one of the worst reviews I've ever written. ANCHORMAN is so damn good that I refuse to ruin any gags in the film for you folks. I can't tell you how many times I've started to go into one gag or another and then I deleted the paragraph I was writing because I knew if someone had ruined that moment for me in a review I would be mighty pissed. Since the below is a kind of uncontrolled stumbling, just know that I loved the film and think it's deserving of all the praise it has been getting. Alright, now back to the madness of half thought-out blurtings!!!
As great as Ferrell is in the film, he's only as good as his/her supporting cast. This is where ANCHORMAN's true success lies... Fred Willard as Ron Burgundy's stressed out boss with major problems with his kids is great. David Koechner, who I really dug in RUN RONNIE RUN ("That's alright Ronnie... I was a little bit drunk my own self...") does well as Champ, one of Burgandy's on-air partners with a big cowboy hat and an even bigger crush on Ron. Paul Rudd is also really funny as Brian Fantana, another of Burgundy's cohorts. His "Panther Sex" scene is his only real time to take front and center and shine.
The real star of the show, though, is Steve Carell of THE DAILY SHOW fame. His Brick Tamland, with an IQ of 48, is a new classic comedic character. He's not played "special" or handicapped. Just slow, but somehow incredibly resourceful. Not every joke in the film worked for me, but every single time Carell opened his mouth I was laughing. Ferrell was equally on in the film, but I think Carell will be the Milton of ANCHORMAN, the one people will be talking about the most.
The film is also filled with tons and tons and tons of cameos. I won't spoil them because half their effectiveness comes from the surprise factor. Let's just say that most of the funniest people in films today pop up. The Biker specifically will make you like-minded folks happy.
This movie is what everybody was trying to tell me DODGEBALL was. I liked DODGEBALL a lot, but ANCHORMAN is the first flat out comedy released this year that works on every level and was constantly pulling laughter out of me. Vince Vaughn's character is funnier and more interesting in his 5 or 10 minutes onscreen in ANCHORMAN than in the whole of DODGEBALL... In my opinion, of course. Like I said earlier, I don't mean to trash DODGEBALL. It's a funny movie, but it's like comparing ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS to BLAZING SADDLES. Both are funny movies, but BLAZING SADDLES is just so thoroughly on the ball it puts ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS in its place.
Jeez, I don't know what else to say. I don't want to go into any plot because the comedy works so well I'd hate to undercut it by giving away the joke... Definitely watch for the GANGS OF NEW YORK scene and the flaming jazz flute... The dog rules the earth... yeah, the one in the trailer ("You know I can't speak Spanish")... The great usage of the one "Fuck" PG-13 will allow you... Afternoon Delight... Everything works in this movie. I haven't laughed so hard in a very long time.
That's it from me. Short and sweet. Go out and bask in the brilliance of Ron Burgundy. You won't regret it! This is Quint. Stay classy, America!
-Quint
