Turn The Channel
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Cast: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, David Koechner
Director: Adam McKay
Movie Help Web Popcorn Kernels:
Believe me, I'm not one of those movie snobs. I enjoy low humor, I freely admit that I go to certain movies just to stare at a lovely actress, and I can even appreciate the point of farts and other bodily functions on film. But I ask them to be done well, or at least with some intelligence, and also allow me to use my brain cells- those I have left, at any rate.
This movie follows the life of Ron Burgundy (Ferrell), the top news anchor of San Diego, in a time before cable and women before the camera. Burgundy and his gang of three Neanderthals (sport's commentator, weatherman, and the last I can't remember) rule the roost, until the big-wigs decide to bring a woman in (Applegate). For equal time. Well, you can imagine that the men feel threatened and do all they can to belittle and get rid of her.
I must admit it nails the feel of the world before things got complicated (read: better). The clothes, the look, the attitudes all are true to form. So much so that I couldn't feel sorry for any of these people. And Applegate's character should have been ashamed to have fallen for such a putz (she seemed too intelligent for that), but the plot calls and the actors have to follow. Too bad. I could go into the plot... excuse me, the thin line that keeps each comic situation together, but it really doesn't matter. You go to see Will Ferrell and the jokes. He does what he can, but I don't have to enjoy it, and I don't.
There is one actor I enjoyed, Fred Willard. He's been in a number of Christopher Guest's movies, such as Best in Show and Waiting For Guffman, two comedies much better than this. But he is good here, and brought a smile. And yes, Christina Applegate is certainly worth looking at, although she's done better movies, so go find one of them.
There is one scene at a cat show that was amusing. The cats were dressed up in ridiculous costumes. Most of them looked extremely pissed and just wanted to get the heck outta there. Sitting in the theater, I knew exactly how they felt.
