'THE CAMPAIGN'

'THE CAMPAIGN' (R) (2 STARS)

Written by Chris Henchy and Shawn Harwell
Directed by Jay Roach
Actors: Will Ferrell, Zach Galfianakis, Dylan McDermott, Katherine LaNasa, Jason Sudeikis, John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd

"The Campaign" should be a perfect fit for what is happening today with the presedential race heating up now. The problem is that the real thing is funnier than this movie. I don't mind a raunchy movie but all this comedy has is again sex and dick jokes. Did we not just see this with "The Watch"? This is another lazy and very dissapointing comedy wasting great talent. I don't expect a biting satire on politics but I at least wanted something to laugh at. I did laugh slightly a few times but this comedy goes nowhere.

"The Campaign" stars Will Ferrell as Cam Brady who is the incumbent senator who has no challenge to his run in office. That is until two rich brothers, played by Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow, pick a regular citizen to run against Cam. He is Marty Huggins and he is a fussy, naive man who should get swallowed up alive by the competition. That is until a crafty and arrogant campaign manager played by Dylan McDermott gives him some gravitas.

The movie then runs a series of jokes that make fun of Marty's family who I didn't find that funny. I got tired of Zach Galfiankakis's schtick after 15 minutes and the movie's big joke is shown in the trailer and it doesn't play as funny in the movie. This is where Cam punches a baby by mistake. What is funnier is when Marty punches the star of "The Artist", the dog Uggie. Actually the only times I laughed was during jokes that dealt with the abuse of dogs so there you are. I also loved Dylan McDermott's performance and he steals the movie away from Zach and Ferrell who aren't as funny. This minor, usually serious actor stealing the laughs away from the big comedy heavyweights happened with last week's disaster "The Watch". "The Campaign" is devoid of laughs and ideals.

P.S. For a better movie like this that is a drama but is ten times funnier check out "Primary Colors".