Review of The Campaign (2012) by James S — 13 Feb 2014

Comedy starring Zach Galifianakis and Will Ferrell as two candidates fighting for the control of a small district in North Carolina. Cam Brady is a career politician that usually runs unchallenged, however this time two powerful investors with a hidden agenda decide to give a chance to Marty Huggins, the naïve son of a Republican leader. The movie follows this closer than expected political race where anything goes and sense of decency is lost in a wild and fierce wish to be the winner. In love and war...

I am not a fan the slapstick films so I don't feel very positive about this one, there are good jokes but everything is very far fetched and quite predictable. Ferrell is really brilliant at doing the same character he always does, the talented but slightly dumb individual that doesn't realize he isn't quite as smart as he thinks he is. The same could be said about Galifianakis, who always plays a good natured man full of rarities and poor social skills (the closeness to Alan of "The hangover" is remarkable). Lovers of the genre will like it, but won't be extremely impressed.

Actually the most interesting feature of the movie is the veiled parody of American politics: the undue influence of big corporations, the power of unscrupulous campaign directors and the delicate balance of parties. It is meant to be laughed at, but I believe there is more truth to it that one might have initially imagined.