Let me just get this out of the way now: I absolutely hated “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” It was probably one of the worst films I’ve ever seen. It wasn’t funny; rather, it was nonsensical, non-sequitur, sophomoric, and boring. I understand it was supposed to be a farce of the 1970s swinger lifestyle and feminist movement into the workplace, but the plot failed to be engaging, and overall the film FAILED on pretty much every level (save for one exception: Paul Rudd and his “real panther” cologne made me chuckle).
In particular, Will Ferrell was just horrible. The humor of his supposedly-improvised lines was based on absurdity and/or shock value, not cleverness. From what I’ve seen, Will Ferrell’s style of humor can be reduced to the following few elements:
- Saying something completely absurd in a deadpan manner (“They named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale’s vagina”).
- Awkwardly trying to complete a task or emulate a behavior better-suited to a person of smaller stature; portraying a clueless man-child. (“Elf”)
- Showcasing his unimpressive, hirsute physique.
- Total randomness. (Boats n Hoes)
- Actual humor (“Celebrity Jeopardy,” Robert Goulet rap, much of the SNL material).
Yet for all his faults, Ferrell isn’t completely worthless. I finally got around to watching one of his earlier films, “Old School,” yesterday, and I was surprised – it was actually pretty good. Sure, Ferrell sheds his clothes to clumsily reveal his shapeless torso and pasty white butt, but otherwise the film was entertaining. I have a feeling Luke Wilson is what saved the movie – Ferrell works well when he has a “straight man” to work with, and Wilson is one of the best straight man players in comedy today (I’ve loved him ever since “Idiocracy,” a brilliantly funny dystopian dark comedy. If you haven’t seen it, definitely check it out). Where Vince Vaugn plays the idiocy-enabling buddy (a lukewarm performance at best), Wilson is the voice of reason to Ferrell’s ridiculousness… and he’s cute as hell, to boot. IMHO, Ferrell is at his best in a double act, whether he’s playing the funny man as in “Old School,” or the stooge; Ferrell’s “Alex Trebek” to Darrell Hammond’s “Sean Connery” was some of SNL’s best comedy in the last decade.
So, while I still loathe most Will Ferrell movies, I now have a criterion for deciding whether or not I’ll give his films a chance:
- “Stepbrothers” - comedic duo with two idiots. Pass.
- “Blades of Glory” – John Heder is friggin’ hilarious, although I’m not sure how the dynamic between the two would play out. Proceed with caution.
- “Land of the Lost” – Ferrell’s supposedly carrying this film solo. Pass.
Tags: Anchorman, comedy, Luke Willson, Old School, SNL, Will Ferrell
