Movie #222 Anchorman *2004*

I will admit right off the bat I could review this film in my sleep.  I had just come off of watching Salo and I needed something that I didn't have to think about and something that would lighten the mood.  What better way to lighten the mood than spending 90 minutes with Ron Burgundy and the rest of the crew at Channel 9 News?

If you have been living under a rock or if you don't like to laugh and haven't seen Anchorman let me break it down for you.  Set in the 70's in San Diego (which of course is Spanish for a whale's vagina) Anchorman is the story of an egotistical, charmingly mysogynistic, playboy wanna-be named Ron Burgundy.  Burgundy is portrayed brilliantly by Will Ferrell.  This is far and away his greatest role and I am a big fan of his in Stranger Than Fiction.  He is the anchor at the top rated local news channel.  His associates are made up of a loverboy, sleezebag who does on the spot reporting, a wild card maniac who does sports and a mild mannered although totally moronic (to the point of retardation) weather man.  These roles are played to a tee by Paul Rudd, David Koechner and a still green Steve Carell.  There reign as alpha dogs is about to change as Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) is introduced and given a shot as a co-anchor.  It is a "The Times they are a Changin" story.

This film is endless quotable.  That doesn't necessarily make it a good movie, but it doesn't hurt.  My friends and I can speak to each other for HOURS with only using lines from Anchorman.  What does make this a good movie is its approach to the comedy.  It is silly and it knows it, but it never winks at the camera.  There is a news anchor street fight between all the local new teams in the middle of the movie.  This scene is loaded with cameos.  In a straight comedic story there is no way that it would break for something so ludicrous, but in Anchorman it works.

The real secret to the movies success I think comes from its heart.  Ron is forced to act like "a man" around his buddies, but deep down inside that extremely hairy chest of his is a big ole lonely heart.  The relationship between Burgundy and Corningstone is really the crux that the movie hinges on.  Without that it is nothing more than a bunch of skits strung together.

Directed by long time friend and writing partner of Ferrell, Adam McKay has several other projects with Ferrell, but they have never managed to load down a film with so much honest and well delivered humor.  Everything else that I have seen them work on seems at least a little forced.  Anchorman has the feel of an improvised comedy based on a great script.  Watching it you get the feeling that the crew had a great time making the film.

Cinematicly it is not very ambitious.  A common theme with broad comedy's like this.  But that is not to say that it is poorly shot in any way.  The costumes are great but definitely have the scene that they are trying to get a laugh out of 70's fashion, the sets look like mock 70's sets, the hairstyles and makeup are exaggerated to provide laughs.  But you are not laughing at all of these things, you laugh that someone in that suit, with that hair just said that line.  It is perfectly self aware and playing on its audiences expectations.

I love this movie.  "I love movie".  "I love lamp".  I give Anchorman ★★★★.