Review: THE CAMPAIGN Dumbs Down Politics For Escapist Laughs

Existing outside of the current political realm, The Campaign is an escapist comic fantasy for voters who prefer a raunchier, sillier America. The film shoots at easy targets and scores a multitude of laughs by ridiculing our shared national helplessness in the face of overwhelming corporate evil and incompetent political representation.

And, yes, that's a good thing, especially when the only attractive alternatives appear to be hopeless despair and suicidal depression.

Ostensibly, Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) is a Democrat and Marty Huggins (Zack Galifianakis) is a Republican. Their political party affiliations, though, have as much to do with reality as the fictional small town of Hammond, North Carolina, which is to say: not much. They might as well be identified as candidates from the Dumb and Dumber parties.

Directed by Jay Roach from a screenplay credited to Chris Henchy and Shawn Harwell, The Campaign pits incumbent Congressman Brady against neophyte politician Marty. The latter is a sweet, good-natured man-child who serves as Hammond's director of tourism; he's tapped by billionaire industrialist brothers Glenn and Wade Motch (John Lithgow and Dan Aykroyd) to run for office so as to facilitate a huge business deal with the Chinese.

The Motch brothers are perhaps modeled on the Duke brothers from Trading Places (as the casting of Aykroyd suggests); Ferrell's performance as the blustery Cam Brady carries over more than a hint of his previous role as U.S. President George W. Bush in a one-man stage show; Galifianakis initially appears to be channeling his fussy, dog-loving character from 2010's Due Date.

The obvious influences are, strangely enough, part-and-parcel of the film's appeal; it begs, borrows, and steals in order to create a free-wheeling, casual atmosphere that is not to be taken seriously in any way, shape, or form. While most comedies benefit from being rooted in some kind of recognizable reality, The Campaign seems determined from the outset to establish every character as a buffoon of one type or another, delusional at best, stupid at worst. Freed of the requirements of logic and originality, the movie can then wildly richochet around its subject matter, dipping into a melting pot of non sequiturs as the mood strikes, employing outrageous, racial, sexual, smarmy, and physical humor.

Thus, Marty's overfed family can safely be portrayed as having very big appetites; Cam's materially-prosperous family can be shown to be highly ambitious; Marty's imported campaign manager Tim Wattley (Dylan McDermott) can look and act like a combination physical trainer / secret agent; Mrs. Yao (Karen Maruyama), maid for Marty's father (Brian Cox), can be compelled to speak like Mammy in Gone With the Wind, and so forth.

Possibly the only character who escapes caricature is Mitch (Jason Sudeikis), Cam's campaign manager, who is loyal and trustworthy as he tries to protect his friend from his own worst instincts.

Jay Roach made by his name by directing the Austin Powers series, but The Campaign is more in the straightforward visual style of his political dramas Game Change and Recount, and his comedies Meet the Parents and Dinner for Schmucks; he serves the material well by allowing the comic performers to do what they do best.

Ferrell is completely at home as a faux-Southern politician and Galifianakis is a good foil. The film makes a half-hearted stab at a "message," but ultimately The Campaign recognizes that messages (and slogans and ceaseless television advertisements) may win elections, but nothing wins over viewers like the sight of a man punching a baby.

The Campaign opens in Canada and the U.S. on Friday, August 10. Check local listings for theaters and showtimes.