Press-Republican

A&E

Related Photos

  • Steve Ouellette

    ouellette.jpg

Discussion

IMPORTANT: Comments that include a personal attack on other commenters will be deleted in their entirety. Your comments are not welcome here if you can't maintain a civil tone.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

ALSO NOTE: Derisive name-calling of an individual or group will result in the entire comment being deleted. This includes the terms "stupid" and "idiot" and similar references.

Welcome to our new online comments feature. Before you can join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address.

Once you do, your comments will post after they have been reviewed by a moderator.

We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified, at the newspaper’s discretion, for a number of reasons. Here are some typical practices to avoid in trying to get your comment printed:

There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

Don’t state as a fact something that is unsubstantiated or that our editors wouldn't know to be true.

Don’t presume someone’s guilt in a case when it hasn't been established by a court.

Don’t assail or impugn an identifiable individual or group. If you have that kind of criticism, sign your name and submit it as a Letter to the Editor. (There is some leeway on this in connection with public officials, but it is not unconditional.)

Don’t use profanity. This includes the term “tea bagger.”

Don’t be incendiary or tasteless. Those qualities are subjective, of course, and our editors will be the arbiters.

Do not identify yourself in the main content area of the article content form. Only by enforcing this rule can the moderators prevent unscrupulous commenters from falsely identifying themselves as someone they are not.

Don't type in all caps. It is considered the Internet equivalent of shouting.

In sports articles, do not criticize officiating.

Remember, moderators are not allowed to edit any article comments. If an article comment fails any of the above criteria, the entire comment will be deleted.

We monitor comments Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Approval of comments outside these times may be delayed.
comments powered by Disqus
August 16, 2012

'Campaign' offers some true belly laughs

By STEVE OUELLETTE, Movie Review Press-Republican

Politics can be ludicrous and more than a little annoying. Fortunately, “The Campaign” is around to lighten the mood just a little.

A low-brow and raunchy political satire with more hits than misses, “The Campaign” offers a nifty pairing of Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis as rivals in a North Carolina congressional race.

Ferrell, borrowing freely from his old George W. Bush impersonation, plays Cam Brady, an experienced politician who embodies every negative connotation that term can possibly carry. He’s an immoral philanderer who manages to inspire his constituents without saying a single thing of substance.

Galifianakis (“The Hangover”) plays Marty Huggins, a mild-mannered milquetoast with strong family values. Marty is innocent and idealistic, but bankrolled by billionaire brothers (Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow, in a nod to “Trading Places”), he soon learns to fight dirty.

“The Campaign” is, not surprisingly, short on story. Essentially it’s just a string of gags, with Cam and Marty taking negative campaigning to the ultimate level and trying to upstage each other in increasingly inappropriate ways.

The two stars play off each other well, and they get some capable assistance. Jason Sudeikis is solid as Cam’s campaign manager, while Dylan McDermott takes no prisoners as the ruthless campaign veteran sent in to give Marty a total political makeover.

Also of note is Karen Maruyama, who takes a tiny role as the housekeeper for Marty’s bigoted father (Brian Cox) and absolutely knocks it out of the park.

The jokes come at a fast-and-furious pace. A number fall flat, but more hit their mark, and there are a few true belly laughs.

There’s actually very little that’s political in “The Campaign.” One candidate is a republican and the other a democrat, but party affiliations and issues don’t affect the movie in any real way. From that standpoint, the movie plays things safe.

The humor, though, has an edge, and should brighten the political season just a little.

Rental Recommendation: The stakes — a high-school election — may be lower, but the movie “Election” is better than “The Campaign.” Grade:A

Email Steve Ouellette: ouellette1918@gmail.com

+++++

The Campaign

Grade: B

Starring: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Dylan McDermott

Rated: R (for crude sexual content, language and brief nudity)

Running time: 85 minutes

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Steve Ouellette's Movie Reviews

Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
Entertainment Videos
ShowBiz Minute: Shelton, King, Lopez Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage ShowBiz Minute: Pickler, Franklin, Potter ShowBiz Minute: Manzarek, Keith, Bieber $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest Beckham to Retire From Soccer at End of Season ABC Stars React to Jolie News ShowBiz Minute: Jolie Reax, Dr Dre, Richie Jolie Genetic Cancer Risk High but Rare ShowBiz Minute: Jolie, Jackson, 24 Beatles Guitar May Fetch $300,000 at Auction Raw from 'The View': Barbara Walters to Retire Cooper's 'Hangover' Is a Career Changer Raw: Prince Harry in Colo. for Wounded Vet Games ShowBiz Minute: Jackson, Jackson, PSY Kris Kross Rapper Chris Kelly Laid to Rest Broadway's 'Matilda' Cast Chats With Astronaut "The Office" Forever Linked to Scranton, Pa. ShowBiz Minute: Hill, Bieber, Clinton Beyonce Gets Emotional in 'Epic'
Photo of the Day