Movie Reviews
Laid before us is the “all true” story of San Diego Channel 4 News anchor Ron Burgundy and his four-man team. When Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) is sent to the station for “on-the-scene” journalism, all four of the men anchors hit on her, with only Ron succeeding in wooing her. That leads to this, this leads to that, and by midway through, Veronica and Ron hate each other. She opts for his seat, and ends up getting it much to his horror.
No more needs to be said about the plot, because, really, it’s not important to know anymore. What you should understand is that this is a film that makes fun of itself as it unfolds; a film that takes itself way too seriously on purpose for the sake of laughs. But don’t get the impression that these are cheap laughs. Most of the punch lines come only after a lot of buildup beforehand, and when they’re given, the actors milk them for all they are worth.
Now, I laugh at that. I think it’s hilarious, you might not. But I can spot dumb, un-funny jokes from dumb, hilarious jokes pretty well, and this is filled with the latter. I had a hard time going more than five minutes without laughing.
My favorite character would have to be Brick Tamland (Steve Carell). We never actually know what his mental condition is, but he obviously has one. Whenever he opens his mouth it never once has anything to do with what is happening. He mixes up popular phrases, makes up his own phrases, interrupts conversations, gets his name confused, and rejoices when he says he’s stabbed a man in the heart with a knife. Carell plays him so well. You never once see it as a one-joke thing, but something that works the entire film over.
“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” is easily the most idiotic fun you’ll have this year if not the funniest. This ranks up with the likes of “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Dodgeball” as 2004’s most hilarious comedy. *** ˝