Film Review: Predictable ‘The Campaign’ Hinges on Hilarious Newlyweds Ferrell, Galifianakis

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CHICAGO – Will Ferrell makes several new proclamations loud and clear: he’s a comic dream-team duo with Zach Galifianakis in “The Campaign,” punching a baby and then a dog are seriously funny and real-life politics should take a lesson from this over-the-top smear campaign. Also, you need one supporting Korean weapon and there’s nearly no such thing as a 100% comedy that delivers on 100% of its comedy.

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

Starting and ending with what works best in this “R”-rated comedy, this and any “The Campaign” review can boil down to this: This film would have flopped without marrying Ferrell with Galifianakis and won’t simply because it did.

If you see this for no other reason than to witness this duo, these jokesmiths are as natural together as BOCA burgers for a vegetarian. Seasoned comedy director Jay Roach (“Austin Powers,” “Meet the Parents”) wouldn’t have had it any other way.

StarRead Adam Fendelman’s full review of “The Campaign”.

Now the film’s most unexpected supporting role is the star of “The Help”. Well, not actually the star of “The Help,” but you’ll first think so. Karen Maruyama plays a disgruntled, Korean maid who reluctantly changes her submissive voice at the behest of her employer.

After first surprising you at a front door by being of the pale complexion rather than the dark because of her mismatched voice, she does repeat the gag too much each chance she gets. Still, the always rollicking supporting character helps to fill in the gaps on some misfired funnies.

“The Campaign” stars Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott, Dan Aykroyd, John Lithgow, Katherine LaNasa, Sarah Baker, Brian Cox, Karen Maruyama, Grant Goodman, Randall D. Cunningham, Madison Wolfe and Thomas Middleditch from director Jay Roach and writers Chris Henchy and Shawn Harwell. “The Campaign,” which opened on Aug. 10, 2012, has a running time of 85 minutes and is rated “R” for crude sexual content, language and brief nudity.

StarContinue for Adam Fendelman’s full “The Campaign” review.

Will Farrell as Cam Brady and Zach Galifianakis as Marty Huggins in The Campaign
Will Farrell as Cam Brady (front) and Zach Galifianakis as Marty Huggins in “The Campaign”.
Image credit: Patti Perret

StarContinue for Adam Fendelman’s full “The Campaign” review.

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