“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” is a stupid movie so smart and fast that it often leaves viewers pondering whether the previous bit was funny, genius or ridiculous. This big budget comedy plays to its own intelligence and not that of the teenage male demographic, which is rare and quite refreshing. In a stampede of one liners and politically incorrect office jokes, “Anchorman” moves seamlessly through its own environment and steps out of it only once for a token shot to the Bush administration. With an ensemble that relies heavily on improvisation, “Anchorman” has a fresh feel and never goes without a laugh for more than a few minutes.
Will Ferrell stars as TV anchorman Ron Burgundy, the dense but respected king of San Diego news. Burgundy lives the life of a semi-famous bachelor who enjoys scotch, sexually harassing women and a close-knit relationship with his dog, Baxter. The women’s lib movement of the 70’s is set as the backdrop for much of the male chauvinism humor and also as the premise for co-anchor Veronica Corningstone’s (Christina Applegate, “Married with Children”) growing popularity. Initially hired for “diversity,” a word Burgundy believes to be used to reference a wooden Civil War ship, by crew boss Ed Harken (Fred Willard, “Best in Show”) Corningstone rises through the ranks of channel four and creates a rift in a newsroom shared by stud field reporter and panda expert Brian Fantana, (Paul Rudd, “Friends”) macho sports reporter Champ Kind (David Koechner, “Dirty Work”) and lovably moronic weatherman Brick Tamland (Steve Carell, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”) who generates big laughs with his bizarre thought process. “Anchorman” is also filled with hilarious cameos from Vince Vaughn, Jack Black, Tim Robbins, Luke Wilson and Ben Stiller.
Will Ferrell fully commits to his character and presents the joke delivery that made him a star on “Saturday Night Live” and was also evident in his big screen breakthrough “Old School.” What makes him stand out from the rest is simply his innate sense of humor. Ferrell could read something as trivial and boring as the obituaries and will have everyone rolling on floor in laughter at his command of comic delivery. With most of the scenes in “Anchorman” improvised, Ferrell’s natural wit is on display for all to enjoy.
To seriously analyze a movie like this would ruin it but there is a decent message behind the whole thing, that women are just as able as men in the workplace. While there is just too much funny material to give a fair glimpse of the film’s style in just a paragraph, some of the movie’s highlights include a mid-conversation rendition of the Starland Vocal Band’s “Afternoon Delight,” the consistently funny dialogue between Burgundy and his co-workers and the throwaway humor scenes, which includes a brutal “Westside Story” meets “Braveheart” fight scene and Burgundy’s beverage choice of milk on a hot San Diego day.
With a DVD sure to be loaded with deleted scenes and more outtakes, “Anchorman” may go down as one of the best “stupid” movies ever produced, right up there with “Airplane,” “Caddyshack,” Dumb and Dumber” and “There’s Something About Mary.”
Writers Adam Mckay and Will Ferrell are well on their way to joining the ranks of the Zucker and the Farrelly brothers as kings of stupid but smart movies. If you enjoy this genre of comedy, “Anchorman” will have you reciting lines for years to come.
Final Grade: A
