The Campaign

The Campaign

Starring Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott

Directed by Jay Roach

Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) is North Carolina's 14th District Congressman four terms running, and is about to win his fifth term unopposed.  This outrages the Motch brothers (Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow), who wish to insource Chinese workers to the district so they can make a bigger profit.  So they bring on Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), a mild-mannered everyman to oppose Cam's candidacy.

Soon both men realize the real nasty nature of political campaigns, as their campaign chairmen pull their strings to make their man the winner, which results in several hilarious hijinks and smear campaigns which showcase how to really win (or lose) a congressional race.

Director Jay Roach ("Meet the Parents," "Dinner for Schmucks") just recently finished his TV film "Game Change" when he took on this other highly politicized film, released smack dab in the middle of the 2012 election.  While "Game Change" was a serious look at the real presidential elections of 2008, "The Campaign" offers a more lighthearted view of how politics work in America - and unfortunately it doesn't seem far from the truth.

From baby kissing (or, in this case, baby punching) to negative ad campaigns to sexual affairs and everything (literally, everything) in-between, "The Campaign" takes the negative aspects of running for office and makes them a rip-roaring, laugh-out-loud comedy with two of today's best comedic actors.  Ferrell and Galifianakis give amazing performances, and the ensemble cast help draw out the guffaws in spades, even if most of them are highly inappropriate.  Clearly not a family movie, but one of the better comedies I've seen in awhile.

My Rating: A-