Anchorman

Anchorman (2004) starring Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner.

Before...the very first time I watched this I had no expectations from this film because it was a movie that slipped me by. I hadn't even heard of it. Now...seeing for the umpteenth time, it is one of my favourite comedies. It is completely ridiculous and you HAVE to go into this movie knowing that, otherwise you will go into it and not enjoy it. So, I have no doubt I will enjoy this movie as I always have.

Ron Burgundy (Ferrell) is the top-rated anchorman in San Diego in the '70s. The team (Rudd, Carell, and Koechner) behind him back him all the way. When feminism marches into the newsroom in the form of ambitious newswoman Veronica Corningstone (Applegate), Ron is willing to play along at first-as long as Veronica stays in her place, covering cat fashion shows, cooking, and other "female" interests. But when Veronica refuses to settle for being eye candy and steps behind the news desk, it's more than a battle between two perfectly coiffed anchor-persons... it's war.

My wife's views..."Didn't really like Will Ferrell, but I liked his possy. The fight scene was awesome, but the humour was weak, the plot was poor and it isn't one I would like to watch again too soon. Entertaining enough but not the best. I think it would be more fun to be in the film than watching it. ★★★☆☆ [BUT only because of the fight scene otherwise it would be ★★☆☆☆]"

Where to start...at times this film fumbles over it's focus and plot. It seems instead happy to hop from one joke to another, much like another Airplane movie. It almost feels that the cast never actually got a script and instead were free styling it for the whole 94 minutes. At times this comes acropper, but at other times it works like a dream. The stumbly fumbly nature of the plot mirrors the character of Ron Burgundy, scatty and disordered. The lack of focus works in this case, it is very strange, it just gels and works as a film, which is rare.

The acting in this is great, each of the actors plays their roles to perfection, the particular stand out role for me is Brick Tamland (Carell). Carell plays the village idiot and he does it with such pizaz and humour that he is easily the best thing about this film, and that is a really big compliment, because the cast as a whole are absolutely hilarious. Applegate, Carell, Ferrell, Koechner and Rudd all play their parts fantastically in the film and it really comes out as a true ensemble piece.

As with all comedies the drive of this film is all about the funniness of it all, and although ridiculous it is has its brilliantly hilarious moments. All in all there is no depth to it, and it is very shallow and this is why it only gets...

★★★☆☆