The Campaign

                In an election year marked by an intense media frenzy and almost cartoonish candidates (Michelle Bachmann, Rick Perry  etc) it seemed almost inevitable that someone would train a satirical eye on the whole process. The Campaign was writing by Shawn Harwell and Chris Henchy both of whom have collaborated with Will Ferrell previously.  It is directed by Jay Roach who has the Meet the Fockers  and the Austin Powers trilogy on his résumé.

                The film opens with philandering Democrat politician Cam Brady facing an unopposed fifth-term in the House of Representative. The film starts with Cam being prepped on his slogan, ‘America. Jesus. Freedom’. The seasoned politician reveals to his campaign manager, Mitch (Jason Sudeikis), that he has no clue what the three words means and that he merely repeats them at every local event because it keeps the voters happy. This scene underscores the cynical politics which the movie condemns: a politics based on empty and vague slogans, and crass populism. Brady’s comfortable led in the polls is cut after a compromising telephone call to his mistress is exposed. The controversy is a gift to the billionaire Motch brothers who have plans to build factories in North Carolina and import cheap Chinese labour (a concept which they label ‘insourcing’).  Seeing Brady slip in the polls the Motch brothers hatch a plan to enter their own candidate on the Republican ticket who would facilitate their plans. Their candidate of choice is Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis) who is the simple and good hearted son of an associate. The Motch brothers choice seems to be build on the assumption that the naive Huggins can be easily manipulated.  Cam responds to this threat to his seat by by launching a smear campaign against his Marty.  Marty reciprocates these tactics under the tutelage of the Motch brothers’ master spin-doctor  Tim Wattley (Dylan McDermott).  This begins a series of tit-for-tat pranks which quickly escalate in terms of outrageousness as is to be expected in a Will Fallel vehicle.

                Political satire is of course plentiful in this film. The parody varies in quality from the clever to the ham-fisted. Cam Brady seems to be based on the disgraced North Carolinian politician John Edwards whose rising star was brought low because of an extra martial affair and financial irregularities.  Cam also bears a resemblance to the broad shouldered and impeccably combed politicians such as Rick Perry and Mitt Romney.  The satire works best when it lampoons the image obsession which exists in American politics. The unfortunate result of this obsession is that the candidates become so staged-managed that true sincerity is impossible. While both major political parties are mentioned the movie is not partisan, the film is not concerned by policy differences between the two parties instead is concerned with the toxic and somewhat bizarre nature of American political culture. The satire falls short in the characterisation of the Motch brothers who are an obvious satire of Koch brothers who have used their vast money to fund conservative political candidates and causes. The Motch brothers are cartoon villains and this prevents them from being compelling characters. However, their presence allows the film to level criticism at the Supreme Court’s Citizen’s United Ruling which allowed rich individuals to channel unlimited funds to campaigns through independent political action committees (also known as Super PACs) and thus distort the political system in their favour.

                Both actors are playing variations of the stock characters for which they are famous: Fallel plays a narcissistic, vainglorious man-child, while Galifianakis plays an oddball. Fallel is playing well in his comfort zone and plays his role with expected precession. Galifianakis’ performance represents a slight variation on his oddball theme: in the Hangover and Between Two Ferns webseries his characters elucidated a slightly menacing air however in The Campaign Galifanakis’ character is oddness is due to his kitsch tastes and his camp mannerisms. These traits as well as making Marty Huggins amusing also help endear him to the audience.

                To sum The Campaign  is an funny and enjoyable way to pass eight five minutes at the cinema or to rent for home consumption but I would not recommend buying as it would quickly go stale after repeat views.. 3/5