underwhelming

Rating: 5/10 (22 July 2005)

Another mild comedy starring the genial, semi-talented Will Ferrel, this time playing a 70s news anchor. I heard this was a very funny movie but I can't figure out why anyone would believe that. It's sort of amusing in its extended-Saturday-Night-Live-Skit kind of way, but after 15 or 20 minutes of being reasonably amused I had seen every basic comedy idea the movie was going to present, and it just kept repeating itself. Ferrel's Ron Burgundy would be an acceptable character for a sketch but there's not enough of him to make a whole movie. The movie would have to be far funnier to sustain its one-dimensional lead. The 1970s references strike me as odd; the movie doesn't really seem to commit to a 70s period identity but throws in 70s period stuff, leading to a feeling of disinterest in its setting.
There were some funny moments in the movie, and I particularly liked Carrel's idiot weather guy. And Applegate was good, although her more intelligent performance clashed with Ferrel's cartoony one. Watchable if you've got nothing better to do, but that's about it.