Living in an age where both men and women anchor the news and have their own talk shows we sometimes forget about a time when this was not the case. It's the 1970s when "There was a time, a time before cable. When the local anchorman reigned supreme. When people believed everything they heard on TV. This was an age when only men were allowed to read the news" and the Channel 4 News Team from San Diego is no exception. Holding the position as top evening news team are four men: Ron, Brian, Brick, & Champ. Ron (Ferrell) is the beloved team leader and anchorman: he has great hair, a great job, and great dog named Baxter (they wear the same pjs & both wear head-gear to bed...and Ron talks to Baxter and seems to interpret his barks). Brian (Rudd) is the self-proclaimed "stylish" one of the group and the field reporter. Champ (Koechner) is the macho-man sports guru who has a thick southern accent (and Stetson) and the catch-phrase "whammy!". And rounding out the team is Brick (Carell) the weatherman, Brick doesn't always understand what's going on " I don't know what we're yelling about!" but the rest of the team doesn't notice (in his opening comments Brick mentions that years after the events of the film he learns that he has an IQ of 48 and is considered "mentally retarded"). The crew is a tight-knit group who broadcast by day and party alllllllllllllllll night, much to the disappointment of their boss Ed (Fred Willard) and despite the intervention of his assistant Garth (Chris Parnell). But their whole world changes when a female reporter is assigned to their group for diversity. Veronica (Applegate) is a serious reporter hoping to someday be the head anchor for a news program. Her good looks have the guys competing for her, but her ambition makes them go to war. She begins a secret affair with Ron until a tragedy occurs, making Ron miss the broadcast and Veronica reads the news in his place. Who is the better anchor? Who will give-up/in first? What will happen to their ratings? And can the crew take on 19 other reporters in gang warfare?
While this isn't the best film I've seen (it's not even close) it is a worthwhile film with the talents of Ferrell & Carell doing what they do best: crazy characters, along with a talented cast of well-known comedians. My favorite scene was the rumble between the four or five news teams: our heros the Channel 4 team (led by Ferrel), the 2nd place news team led by Wes Mantooth (Vince Vaughn), the 3rd place team led by Frank Vitchard (Luke Wilson), the Public News team (led by Tim Robbins), and the Spanish news team led by Arturo Mendes (Ben Stiller with a "Spanish" accent and mustache). It's chaos, but random enough to make you laugh till it hurts. Keep in mind that this film features sexist language, along with some crude language...but keep in mind the time period for the former, and the actors involved for the latter. Even though at times it seems over the top (the zoo scene) there is something uncanny about their resemblance to real news teams: the commercials where they smile at each other and the camera, the end of each broadcast when Ron & later Veronica are shown on the screen while the credits roll and they smile and shuffle papers while actually dissing each other, etc. You can't help but love these characters even if you don't understand them and wonder does this really happen? Regardless, the film will keep you laughing or at least groaning...enjoy!
Rent it multiple times: This film has staying potential so it COULD be worth buying, but regardless Will Ferrell is always outrageous and worth a watch
Dude, it's quotable!: just looking at the quotes from IMDb.com is funny, but they are even funnier in context
While this isn't the best film I've seen (it's not even close) it is a worthwhile film with the talents of Ferrell & Carell doing what they do best: crazy characters, along with a talented cast of well-known comedians. My favorite scene was the rumble between the four or five news teams: our heros the Channel 4 team (led by Ferrel), the 2nd place news team led by Wes Mantooth (Vince Vaughn), the 3rd place team led by Frank Vitchard (Luke Wilson), the Public News team (led by Tim Robbins), and the Spanish news team led by Arturo Mendes (Ben Stiller with a "Spanish" accent and mustache). It's chaos, but random enough to make you laugh till it hurts. Keep in mind that this film features sexist language, along with some crude language...but keep in mind the time period for the former, and the actors involved for the latter. Even though at times it seems over the top (the zoo scene) there is something uncanny about their resemblance to real news teams: the commercials where they smile at each other and the camera, the end of each broadcast when Ron & later Veronica are shown on the screen while the credits roll and they smile and shuffle papers while actually dissing each other, etc. You can't help but love these characters even if you don't understand them and wonder does this really happen? Regardless, the film will keep you laughing or at least groaning...enjoy!
Rent it multiple times: This film has staying potential so it COULD be worth buying, but regardless Will Ferrell is always outrageous and worth a watch
Dude, it's quotable!: just looking at the quotes from IMDb.com is funny, but they are even funnier in context
Rating: PG-13 for sexual humor, language, & comic violence
Director: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy
Christina Applegate as Veronica Corningstone
Paul Rudd as Brian Fantana
Steve Carell as Brick Tamland
David Koechner as Champ Kind
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