When Cam Brady (Will Ferrell), the incumbent congressman of an off-the-map North Carolina district, finally gets an opponent in Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), the shit-slinging begins in The Campaign.
Initially, Huggins doesn’t stand a chance; his pug-loving persona and slight lisp get him branded with a Scarlet O (for odd). But after some help from a wealthy duo, Huggins finds his inner politician but loses his sense of decency.
The movie’s absurd accusations of terrorism, communism, and ungodliness mirror current politics and add cheeky relevance to a plot riddled with dick jokes. Even though Ferrell plays his usual dumb-ass hotshot, The Campaign can’t quite compete with his best movies. Still, there are plenty of laughs, even if the ending teeters on the sentimental. –Christina Sterbenz
This article appears in Aug 8-14, 2012.