The Campaign [Includes Digital Copy]

Director: Jay Roach Jay Roach

Overview

Two powerful CEOs pit a blundering congressman against an unlikely political newcomer in order to seize control of a crucial North Carolina district in this satirical political comedy starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. On the eve of an upcoming election, incumbent congressman Cam Brady (Ferrell) makes a misstep that threatens to end his career in politics. Recognizing the opportunity to gain influence in the aftermath of the public gaffe, a pair of scheming CEOs handpick credulous tourism-center director Marty Huggins (Galifianakis) as Brady's political rival, quickly shaping him into a viable candidate with the help of a seasoned campaign manager. As Election Day draws near, Brady and Huggins cast ethics aside to engage in the brand of hysterical mud-slinging that's sent contemporary politics straight down the toilet. Jason Sudeikis, John Lithgow, and Brian Cox co-star.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/30/2012
UPC:	0883929240746
Original Release:	2012
Rating:	R
Source:	Warner Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:25:00
Sales rank:	42,552

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Will Ferrell	Cam Brady
Zach Galifianakis	Marty Huggins
Jason Sudeikis	Mitch
Dylan McDermott	Tim Wattley
Sarah Baker	Mitzi Huggins
John Lithgow	Glenn Motch
Dan Aykroyd	Wade Motch
Brian Cox	Raymond Huggins
Karen Maruyama	Mrs. Yao
Grant S. Goodman	Clay Huggins
Kya Haywood	Dylan Huggins
Randall D. Cunningham	Cam Jr.
Madison Wolfe	Jessica Brady
Thomas Middleditch	Travis
Josh Lawson	Tripp
Heather Lawless	Diane
Jack McBrayer	Mr. Mendenhall
Elizabeth Berkes	Mrs. Mendenhall
Billy Slaughter	Dermot
Aaron Jay Rome	Intern Jason
Kate Lang Johnson	Shana
Amelia Jackson-Gray	Becky
Bobby Tisdale	Huggins Supporter
Wolf Blitzer	Himself
Piers Morgan	Himself
Bill Maher	Himself
Chris Matthews	Himself
Dennis Miller	Himself
Lawrence O'Donnell Jr.	Himself
Joe Scarborough	Himself
Mika Brzezinski	Herself
Willie Geist	Himself
P.J. Byrne	Rick - Ad Agency Guy
Patrick Weathers	Old Councilman
Gerry May	Carter Baines
Bill Martin Williams	Senator Lloyd
Danny Vinson	Elder Dan
John Reaves	Banker
Scott A. Martin	Wes - Cam Brady Supporter
Rob Mariano	Boston Rob
Mike Mizanin	The Miz
Danny Hanemann	Hunter
Jason Kirkpatrick	Hunter
Taryn Terrell	Janette
J.D. Evermore	State Official
Matt Borel	Rainbowland Moderator
Millard Darden	Moderator Carl Terry
Mikki Val	Town Hall Moderator
Ramona Tyler	Reporter Brenda Britton
Steve Wilkins	Reporter Darren
Rowan Joseph	Reporter Gary
Dane Rhodes	Working-Class Man
Trey Burvant	Man at Debate
Joe Chrest	Rainbowland Audience
Sion Daneshrad	Rabbi
Peaches Davis	Mrs. Cutler
George Young	Choir Director
Stephanie Dotson	Choir Soloist
Dylan DePaula	Young Cam
Seth Morris	Confession Husband
Tara Copeland	Confession Wife
Frank Drank	Biker Guy
Luka Jones	Biker Guy
Paul Zies	Biker Guy
Early Whitesides	Elderly Man
Leslea Fisher	Election Night Girl
Steve Tom	Congressman
Catherine Shreves	Anchor Rachel
Amber Dawn Landrum	Punched Baby's Mother
Dustan Costine	Police Officer
Tim Hickey	Patriotic Passerby
Loriel Hennington	Dancer
Tyne Stecklein	Dancer
Krystal Ellsworth	Dancer
Kayla Jenee Radomski	Dancer
Brittany Perry-Russell	Dancer
Colleen Craig	Dancer
Katherine LaNasa	Rose Brady
Elizabeth Diane Wells	Mrs. Mendenhall
Randall Cunningham	Cam, Jr.
Randy Bachman	Himself (Bachman & Turner)
Mick Dalla-Vee	Himself (Bachman & Turner)
Marc La France	Himself (Bachman & Turner)
Brent Knudsen	Himself (Bachman & Turner)
Fred Turner	Himself (Bachman & Turner)
Cranston Clements	Pentecostal Band
Johnny Vidacovich	Pentecostal Band
Tommy Malone	Pentecostal Band
Theodore Shapiro	Composer

Technical Credits

Chris Henchy

Shawn Harwell

Adam McKay

Chris Henchy	Screenwriter,Executive Producer,Producer
Jay Roach	Director,Producer
Shawn Harwell	Screenwriter,Screenwriter
Will Ferrell	Producer
Zach Galifianakis	Producer
Adam McKay	Producer,Screenwriter
Jon Poll	Executive Producer,Producer
Amy Sayres	Executive Producer,Producer
Allison Jones	Casting
Kenneth McLaughlin	Sound Mixer
Todd Bryant	Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	Stunts
Diane Durant	Script Supervisor
Bill Church	Special Effects
Sarah Bourgeois	Sound Effects
Bill Burns	Sound Effects
Chris Diamond	Sound Effects
Sandra Fox	Sound Effects
Michelle Graham	Producer
Jeffrey Harlacker	Producer

Editorial Reviews

Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis hold a funhouse mirror up to the American electoral process in The Campaign, a demented political farce that delivers some hearty laughs as the titular race heats up, but sadly loses steam as Election Day draws near. Regardless, it's still fun enough to earn a vote from forgiving comedy fans, because even when it starts to falter, its irreverent evisceration of a deeply flawed system is enough to keep a candidate's smile plastered firmly on our faces. On the eve of an upcoming election, incumbent congressman Cam Brady (Ferrell) makes a misstep that threatens to end his career in politics. Recognizing the opportunity to gain influence in the aftermath of the public gaffe, wealthy CEOs Glenn (John Lithgow) and Wade Motch (Dan Aykroyd) handpick credulous small-town tourism-center director Marty Huggins (Galifianakis) as Brady's new rival, and they quickly shape the socially awkward misfit into a viable candidate with the help of serpentine campaign manager Tim Wattley (Dylan McDermott). Both determined to win the election at any cost, Brady and Huggins cast ethics aside to engage in the sort of hysterical mudslinging that's sent contemporary politics straight down the toilet. Front-loaded with outrageous gags as Ferrell's Brady gets himself into a bind and Galifianakis' Huggins gets a crash course in political one-upmanship, The Campaign works best when it's delivering a series of increasingly absurd set pieces that satirize the desperate lengths political hopefuls will go to in order to get votes. With each scene more outrageous than the last, and the two capable stars openly embracing their broad caricatures, writers Chris Henchy (The Other Guys) and Shawn Harwell (Eastbound and Down) pull out all the stops to reveal just how little the whole election process has to do with the actual beliefs of the men who seek office. Still, the focus here is on laughs -- not political deconstruction -- and the relentless blend of sight gags (including an early nip slip that uses partial nudity to expert comic effect), awkward timing, and classic satire (Ferrell does for the Lord's Prayer here what Leslie Nielsen did for the National Anthem in The Naked Gun) gives hope early on that The Campaign will soar to the delirious heights of its rich comic pedigree. But about an hour into the film, as a public debate between Brady and Huggins devolves into a massive brawl, the movie crescendos. And though it doesn't necessarily flatline afterward, The Campaign never quite achieves that level of sustained comic energy again. Yet even when The Campaign is inconsistent, its blithely cynical observations about the roles of personality and big money in elections still hit the bull's-eye more often than not, and since partisan politics play virtually no role in the proceedings, party affiliations aren't likely to stifle anyone's enjoyment of the film in an election year that promises to be as divisive (if not more so) than any that's come before it. So as civil political discourse has seemingly become a quaint relic of the 20th century, there's certainly something to be said for the role comedy plays in uniting us through laughter.