THE CAMPAIGN: Starring Will Ferrell, Zach Galifiniakis, Jason Sudeikis, John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd. Directed by Jay Roach. Rated MA 15+ (Strong coarse language and sexual references). 85 minutes.
Reviewed by Fr Peter Malone MSC
THE US is an election year with incessant, minder-controlled, media-driven, down and dirty campaigning, so, why not offer a topical comedy of the hit-and-miss variety, funny and serious, a cross between the humour of skits on Saturday Night Live and the humour of movies like The Hangover?
Director Jay Roach is best known for the Austin Power spoofs as well as the Meet The Fockers series.
But, in recent years, he has directed two significant HBO films on American politics, Recount (on the Bush-Gore confusion in Florida, 2000) and Game Change, a forceful look at the choice of Sarah Palin as John McCain’s running partner and the campaign of 2008.
He is obviously on the wavelength.
This is a spoof, parody with some serious criticisms, especially of billionaire manipulators of trade and industry and unlimited profits.
There was a similar kind of film with Kevin Costner.
This is a Will Ferrell comedy.
Ferrell never minds appearing as a fool or a slob, or both.
He gets the chance here, as a North Carolina congressman, nominating for his district unopposed.
He is a sleaze.
Two brothers with more money than patriotism, John Lithgow and Dan Aykroyd relishing their roles, decide that they need a stooge to buy up land, sell it to China and then build local sweat ships to avoid transport.
They choose the dumbest candidate, Marty Huggins, played by Zach Galifiniakis. Galifiniakis can be very funny or obnoxiously unfunny.
This time he is very good.
His is a role that might have starred Jack Black, and it looks as though Galifiniakis has seen Black’s excellent performance in Bernie and taken over some of the mannerisms and body language.
The campaign is rough as Brady wants to win at all costs (and produces foul TV ads and behaves accordingly).
However, his manager, Jason Sudeikis, who can be crass as in Horrible Bosses but is decency in this one, can’t support him.
Meanwhile, sinister Dermot Mulroney controls Marty, making him play the dirty game.
But, of course, Marty, we know, will rebel, and there will be an honourable ending, even more than anticipated.
Yes, a lot of the film is quite vulgar.
But, a lot of it is very funny, especially a Chinese housekeeper whose boss wants her to speak like an old Southern mammy to remember the past, and who has the final word, in Latino accent.
There is a guest appearance by the dog from The Artist, one of many throwaway funny bits – with a literal punchline.
Political bias?
The Republican candidate is nicer than the Democrat.
This is funny while forgettable.
Fr Peter Malone MSC is an associate of the Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting.
