The Campaign (2012)

Directed by: Jay Roach | 85 minutes | comedy | Actors: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott, Katherine LaNasa, Sarah Baker, John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd, Brian Cox, Karen Maruyama, Grant Goodman, Kya Haywood, Randall D. Cunningham, Madison Wolfe, Thomas Middleditch, Josh Lawson, Heather Lawless

Will Ferrell is like no other capable of playing insufferable jerks. Another point where he excels is in his portrayal of silly losers. In ‘The Campaign’ the American comedian proves his skills in the first category: Cam Brady is a giant bag of hay.

The curly-haired man visibly enjoys playing the arrogant and oil-stupid Brady. This congressman has to get back to work for the first time in a long time, because he has to deal with an adversary. After a scandal, Brandy’s position becomes shaky. His political opponents take advantage of this and put Marty Huggins (Zach ‘The Hangover’ Galifianakis) forward. However, this meek guy isn’t prepared for the harsh world he’s landed in. Soon, he and Brady find themselves at odds with each other in downright embarrassing political duels.

If you read the text above and picked up the name Will Ferrell, you already know exactly what to expect. Puberty nonsense that is sometimes so distressing that it hurts. The comedian succeeds in every film to further raise the limit of the permissible weather. In ‘The Campaign’ he does this with the combination of a fist, a dog and a baby. Seeing is believing. If you can laugh at gross humor then this film is right up your alley.

Galifianakis offers Ferrell a good counterbalance. Both actors are absolutely not vain and dare to embarrass themselves. It makes for cringe-inducing scenes (and that’s a good thing for Ferrell fans). Dylan McDermott also deserves a special mention as a hard-hitting campaign manager who has to prepare Huggins for his task. McDermott’s dryly comic rendition is hilarious and very strong. Too bad his role is so small. The acting is good and you can see that the cast enjoyed working on this production. That is very pleasant to watch.

‘The Campaign’ is by no means a classic, but the Ferrell fan will certainly appreciate this film. The pace is fast and there are a few witty jokes in it. Director Jay ‘Austin Powers’ Roach knows how to handle this genre and has created a smooth comedy. You should not expect subtleties or deeper layers. Meaniness, a few genius one-liners and hard jokes are on the menu. Enjoy your meal!