Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
VERDICT:
8/10 Whore Islands
The best thing that’s happened to Will Ferrell since the cowbell.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is about San Diego’s top news anchor and his trusty team of dumbass, macho reporters as they try to cope with a new hardheaded woman on the staff who thinks she can be a head anchor and tell the news just as well – if not better – than any other guy out there. It was a time of men, it was a time of news, it was a time of change…it was the ’70s.
Yeah, this movie is totally ridiculous and strangely epic, but since it doesn’t take itself seriously whatsoever, it ends up being effing hilarious. I’m actually kinda having trouble coming up with reasons for why I nearly pissed myself the first time I saw this in theaters, but I think the best way to sum up why this works is that it’s proud to be stupid. The characters, the story, the dialogue, the premise – all blindingly stupid and that’s why it’s great. Sometimes it’s just nice to bask in a sea of idiots for two hours.
As much as I can credit the writing chops of Ferrell and regular buddy Adam McKay for making this thing as funny as it is – and they deserve their fair share – the best parts are really from ad-libbing and the actors behind it all. You don’t need to see the blooper reel to realize that this is just a handful of quick-witted guys coming up with crap off the top of their heads and going with whatever works best, and they obviously had a time doing it.
But like I said, it all goes back to the cast with this one.
Steve Carell – hilarious. Dude more or less steals the show as Brick – the king idiot of the newscrew – and not surprisingly it made him a household name from that point on. Every line out of this guy was inescapably quotable for decades after.
Will Ferrell – also hilarious. Ron Burgundy is on par with the best of his SNL characters and totally sets the tone for the movie as a whole right off the bat. Equally quotable.
Paul Rudd – funny, but “Paul Rudd funny”. Brian Fantana‘s not exactly the highlight of the cast, but he’s got his moments and the sex panther thing is putting a grin on my face just thinking about it. Also like when he starts telling off the pandas for not coming out of their caves.
David Koechner – the weak link. I still don’t find this guy funny. Champ‘s just…eh.
Christina Applegate – awesome. Always appreciate a woman with a sense of humor and Veronica Corningstone is just that.
Look, I don’t even know why I wrote this much, I had a hard enough time even coming up with this rambling mess as it is. Anchorman is one of those movies that’s just damn funny, damn quotable and the best way to know if you’ll like it or not is to give it ten minutes. Over the years I’ve come to find that Anchorman isn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea, but I just watched this again the other weekend and still cracked up at all the same lines that had me going the first time around.
The glass case of emotion, the totally random news team street fight, “I love lamp,” Jack Black kicking Baxter off the bridge – take your pick, folks, this thing is filled to the brim with ’em. Might just be the best thing Will Ferrell’s ever done…well, except for Gus Chiggins of course.
Cut The Crap Movie Reviews 
If I had a buck for every time my and my friends rolled in drunk and started watching and speaking along to this I’d have at least a hundred and seven bucks. Cracking film, 110% quotable and probably due it’s annual watch around now.
I still think it’s definitely Ferrel’s finest hour by a long shot?
right there with ya on the inordinate amount of times i’ve seen this while drinking heavily. good times.
Still one of my all time favorite movies. Among the most quotable movies ever.
Ron Burgandy is the man. I mean he plays jazz flute.
“60% of the time, it works all the time”…one of my very favorite quotes in the last 10 years. Paul Rudd is awesome:)
One of the most quotable films ever!!! I can’t say how much I laugh every time this movie is on, honestly, I just can’t!! Nice Review!
nice shout on Applegate. I think people forgot how awesome she is in this movie and how it probably wouldnt work if she wasnt that awesome.
i really didnt get this on first viewing, but you have to watch anchorman a few times to really appreciate it. lots of random dicks coming up to you and saying ‘Stay Classy, San Diego!’ is a bit annoying but you have to give the film its due. Whenever someone says ‘When in Rome..’ I cant help but think of this.
Tits McGee is on vacation, I’m Veronica Corningstone.
hahahaha. “Ms. Corningstone? This is your doctor. You got knocked up.”
Every now and then I’ll say, “Ribs. I had ribs for lunch, that’s why I’m doing this.”
Glad to see this get 8/10.
“The Human Torch was denied a bank loan!”
“I heard somewhere that their periods attract bears. The bears can smell the menstruation.”
“I’m sure we’ve all seen our fair share of adult entertainment… Oh you never have? How silly of me. Neither have I. Ok, I’ll come by the school later Sister Margaret.”
SOOOOO FRIGGIN’ FUNNY!!!!!!! I agree with Paragraph. This is easily Ferrell’s shining moment. He just went down hill from here. Although, Stranger Than Fiction was pretty good.
Never saw Stranger than Fiction. Will get around to it. Love that human torch line.
Stranger Than Fiction’s alright, but mostly because it’s one of the few times you see Ferrell playing a ‘normal’ guy as opposed to someone ridiculous.
“Great Odin’s Raven!” Obviously you know I love this movie from my Desert Island collection so there isn’t much to be said. You do need to see Stranger than Fiction which is a heck of a film!
Why is it so hard for Will Ferrell to find good movies like this now?
“I’m kind of a big deal. People know me.”
“Oh, Baxter, you’re like a miniature Buddha. All covered in hair.”
I agree, you’d think he’d have it down to a science by now. Strange what people will do for a paycheck.
I think I am one of the few people who absolutely hated this movie. It probably goes along with my strong hatred toward Will Ferrell or something. I seriously can’t stand the guy. Not sure what’s so funny about him, but I get why people like him.
Good write-up either way.
Haha, don’t worry man, you’re not the only one. My best friend and I argue about that all the time and I don’t think there’s any one person out there who everyone thinks is funny. I still hate having to defend Chris Farley as being funny and not just because he was fat. Serenity now, dude. Serenity now.
Oh man, I love Chris Farley. Tommy Boy was gold.
One good scene from Rudd: in the background while Champ is talking about Veronica Corningstone’s big ol’ behind, Rudd does this jumping up and down wrist flappy thing that turns into spin.
Priceless.
Need to YouTube that. Sounds awesome.
There is nothing not to love about this movie. Christina Applegate? Killer. Steve Carell? Oh. My. God. Will Ferrell? Classic.
One of my favorite exchanges:
Veronica Corningstone: Take me to Pleasure Town.
Ron Burgundy: Oh, we’re going there.
This movie is fucking awesome. It’s nice to see Steve Carell before he hit it big. That street fight between the rival news stations was epic. Loved it.