A Comedic Classic...To Some Of Us

Rating: 9/10 (16 August 2013)

You get it, or you don't, or you do and just don't relate anyway. Whatever the case may be, this sort of random, senseless comedy is a sub genre of comedic films that is just as often praised as it is ridiculed.
I find myself praising it more often than not, and particularly so when Will Ferrell is involved. The man is, quite simply, as adept at this style of comedy as anyone ever has been, and his strong and silly performance, alongside a terrific supporting cast, have made Anchorman a classic in my mind. It has provided me and my friends more quotable lines and good times than any other Ferrell flick, and we typically enjoy them all. The upcoming sequel seems to me, at least, to be Ferrell's way of doing justice to what he believes to be his finest film.
Just as important to making the film work is the rest of the Channel 5 News Team. Brick, Champ and Brian are pivotal in playing off of each other, taking advantage of somewhat predictable quirks and eccentricities with skill. Paul Rudd quickly became a comedy/dramatic comedy staple at the box office, and his work here, alongside Steve Carrell's slow-but-sweet portrayal of weatherman Brick Tamlan and the underrated Champ Kind (played by the also underrated David Koechner) round out the film, give it an identity with memorable characters and classic scenes.
The rest of the cast is stand-up as well, including Alicia Silverstone, who holds up strong as Ferrell's counterpart and vying anchorwoman Veronica Corningstone. It all comes together quite nicely cast-wise, and the writing..well, the writing is the best you're going to find in a quote/unquote "silly" comedy, where the story is just a foundation for the ridiculousness to flow off of.
Honestly, I can understand the strong disagreement when I say so, but in my mind, Anchorman is without a doubt one of the finest comedic films ever created. It is, much like Mr. Burgundy himself, the balls