Movie Breakdown: The Campaign

People are doing traditional-style reviews all over the web, so we decided to try something different.  In each “breakdown” we’ll take a look at what a film’s marketing led us to believe, how the movie actually played, and then what we learned from it all.  Read on!

The Impression:

Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis team up in a political comedy where they presumably do an enormous amount of silly stuff and yell at each other a lot.

The Reality:

Naturally, there’s a lot of craziness and screaming in The Campaign.  It is, however, what Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis do best, so you should not be even a little surprised by this.  What you may not be prepared for, though, is the amount of heart that the film has.  And it’s not just hidden away deep beneath the outrageously crude acts that run the gamut from sexist to racist.  Nope, it’s proudly displayed on a big shiny button that’s pinned to the sleeve of The Campaign, and when you’re not laughing out loud, you’re torn between the desperate incumbent who clearly won’t know what to do if he loses the election, and the naive newcomer that’s in way over his head.  If you’ve got a quick hour and a half to spare, then give The Campaign a chance.  It’s definitely a funny movie.

PS – There’s a character in The Campaign that’s one of the most racist (and admittedly hilarious) things I’ve ever seen on a screen.

The Lesson:

Comedies are at their best when they have heart.