Wonderfully stupid

Rating: 7/10 (3 December 2005)

As you probably know, there's stupid stupid, and then there's wonderfully stupid. Now try not to miss this, it's important: Stupid stupid is bad. Stupid stupid includes movies with Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Owen Wilson and/or the Ritz Brothers.
Wonderfully stupid is good. These include the Naked Gun series and this movie, "Anchorman: The Legend OFRon Burgundy." Will Farrell is a scream in the lead as the clueless dimwitted macho anchorman. Steve Carell as the weatherman who is even dimmer than Ron Burgundy himself is also a riot. The always reliable Fred Willard is once again, reliable - no, make that, is once again funny as hell as news director Ed Harken. Willard shines in everything he does.
But this film belongs to Christina Applegate as newswoman Veronica Corningstone, who fights Ron's hilariously sexist Neandrothol news team. Applegate gives a terrific performance, nailing every glance, every look, every line. It's the best work I've seen her do.
Bonus Points must go to the wardrobe and make-up folks, who get the '70s down pat - perhaps none more so that rival newsman Tim Robbins' Public Television Anchor. His suits and hair are a riot.
So many of today's comedies are just plain not funny or only mildly so. Not The Anchorman. It's wonderfully stupid.