The comedy world’s kings of stupidity collide when Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis face off in The Campaign, director Jay Roach’s raunchy, unpredictable comedy about southern politics. Written by The Other Guys scribe Chris Henchy (along with Eastbound and Down writer Shawn Harwell), the film casts Ferrell as Congressman Cam Brady, a larger-than-life figure who
Enter Marty Huggins (Galifianakis), the straight-laced director of the local tourism board, and Cam’s first challenger in the history of his political career. Marty’s no-nonsense attitude and family man image make him an immediate hit with the locals, most of whom have long since grown tired of the philandering incumbent and his embarrassing antics. What the voters don’t know is that Marty’s campaign is being financed by a pair of greedy industrialists (John Lithgow and Dan Aykroyd) who plan to use their candidate’s naiveté to bring dirt-cheap foreign labor to the district, maximizing profits while putting blue collar workers out of a job.
As Cam Brady, Ferrell finds himself somewhere between his Anchorman protagonist Ron Burgundy and former US President Bill Clinton, an arrogant, ignorant, sex-crazed southern politician with unexplainable charisma. Galifianakis, meanwhile, is far removed from the dopey characters he typically portrays, and imbues Marty with warm-hearted charm – and plenty of gullibility. The film’s best moments come when the two rivals are onscreen together, such as when Cam gives Marty a lesson in trash talk, or the newcomer challenges his opponent to recite the Lord’s Prayer.
The Campaign is packed with hilarious moments, but the aforementioned subplot involving a Chinese labor scheme feels completely out of place here. Much like the candidates themselves, it’s as if the film wants to say something profound, but isn’t quite sure how to go about it. Audiences would have been better served if this element was completely removed and the stars were given more freedom to do what they do best – make us laugh.