I generally enjoy Will Ferrell. But, not Anchorman, despite the fact that it’s probably his most popular movie. This might be partly because its spoofing of the 1970s (especially the sexism and office politics) went over my head, being born nearly a decade removed that era. More so, it’s because the film’s humor was derived from absurd and awkward situations, but the absurdity was just weird and goofy, never in a humorous way.
Anchorman 2 moves on to the 1980s, as Ferrell’s egotistical numbskull newsman Ron Burgundy and San Diego’s Channel 4 team (Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Steve Carell) relocate to New York City to be part of a radical new idea: a 24-hour news network (just like a real nascent enterprise that began in this era). They bring the network to prominence by blurring the line between news and entertainment.
In other words, they’re the ones responsible for dumbing down the news into the soft brain candy it is today. It’s a golden opportunity for media satire, and it’s clearly right there in the movie, just waiting to be bitingly skewered. But quite frustratingly, that never happens. Ferrell and company tread very lightly, and in fact their use of such fluff is often depicted positively in the plot because it helps them lead in the ratings. When the film addresses this topic in its preachy moment, it carries no weight, either as a soapbox or a joke. And there’s not a lot of satire in anything else, either, save for some throwaway 80s references with the benefit of hindsight.
But, most of the audience probably isn’t expecting anything but a few laughs (I wasn’t myself, but it would have been nice if they had acted on this opportunity). Well, this one’s approach to humor is a little different than the first film (which I appreciate but fans might not). There’s still some of the long, awkward-funny sequences in the form of a few subplots: Carell’s simpleminded weatherman finding a soul mate in an equally dumb receptionist (Kristen Wiig), and Burgundy’s struggle to reconcile his attraction to his African-American boss (Meagan Good) with his traditional (meaning slightly racist) view of the world. The results of these vary from funny, to grating and possibly a little legitimately insulting. But the vast majority of the humor is of the standard one-liner and broad gag variety.
As for whether or not these translate into a laugh, I’d say it’s split about 50-50. There are plenty of gags, and the film moves on quickly from those that clearly don’t work, so it’s an overall pleasant enough experience. There are even a few howlers. At least, that’s until the last half-hour or so, which spirals into a mess of recycled jokes from the first film, truly stupid plot developments, and more cameos than a terrible variety special, as if to substitute stars for humor. So, actually, the whole product might finish a little in the red.
Despite my feelings on the films, though, I actually do like the Ron Burgundy character. He’s quite funny to watch fumbling through a newscast or conducting joke interviews, which get much less cinematic screen time than his dalliances away from the newsroom. Ferrell’s many in-character appearances promoting the film have been funnier and more enjoyable than the film itself. Maybe the character would be better suited living on in such a smaller capacity than in further pictures, one that has him actually doing his job by humorously delivering the news.
Then again, that niche might already be filled…
No comments:
Post a Comment