Comedy director Jay Roach has a big rep to live up to…
He’s the kingpin behind such laffers like MEET THE FOCKERS and AUSTIN POWERS. Now Roach sets his sights on political satire, sparing no one in the process.
Everything and everyone is run up the flagpole.
What we end up with is a rude, crude and definitely below the belt congressional campaign between sleaze-bag incumbent Will Farrell (facing his first real opposition) and newby nerd Zach Galifianakis, a living, breathing buffoon.
The reason?
Because shady power brokers Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow need a new stooge to manipulate for their plan to insource cheap Chinese labor to their North Carolina district which becomes a political battleground of major proportions.
And now as the campaign heats up so do the dirty tricks.
Nothing is off the table anymore. Mudslinging, backstabbing, sex scandals and home wrecking, taking the crudeness over the top—a good amount seemingly improvised right there on the set.
Kiss the baby?
Hell, let’s punch it in the face. And that goes for the dog as well.
No one’s safe in this one. Be it political action committees, super pacs, focus groups or homeland security. They’re all in Jay Roach’s twisted sights.
Mean spirited? Sure. Family Values? Forget them.
Add Dylan McDermott as Galifianakis’ high strung campaign manager and Jason Sudeikis as Farrell’s win at all costs strategist, along with actual CNN and CNBC talking heads for authenticity, and this Warner Brothers release couldn’t be more timely.
A word of caution.
The dialogue in this comedy certainly goes the distance and presses crudeness to the limit.
Our screening audience seemed a bit surprised at the sheer volume of verbal assaults at first, but laugh they did and continued to for the comedy’s entire 84 minute running time.
Ross Perot‘s opening quotation for the film certainly sets up the R-rated opus you’re about to experience: “War has rules. Mud wrestling has rules. Politics has no rules.”
THE CAMPAIGN rock-bottoms to 3-1/2 out of 5 fingers.
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday mornings at 6:40 a.m. on KMBZ Am & FM / Also anytime on Time-Warner Cable’s K.C. ON DEMAND, Channel 411 / And throughout Nebraska on NEBRASKA ON DEMAND, Channel 411.
Looks funny as hell. Can’t wait.