Takes a joke and runs with it -- sometimes too far, but usually long enough to wear you down and force you to submit to its craziness.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:186
Fresh:120
Rotten:66
Average Rating:6.2/10
Consensus: It's a one-joke premise, but the movie is amiably dumb, and there are scenes of inspired goofiness.
Rated: 12A [See Full Rating] for sexual humor, language and comic violence
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:10-09-2004
Synopsis: Will Ferrell ("Elf," "Old School") stars as Ron Burgundy, the top-rated anchorman in San Diego in the ‘70s. When feminism marches into the newsroom in the form of ambitious newswoman Veronica... Will Ferrell ("Elf," "Old School") stars as Ron Burgundy, the top-rated anchorman in San Diego in the ‘70s. When feminism marches into the newsroom in the form of ambitious newswoman Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate - "View From the Top," TV’s "Married With Children"), Ron is willing to play along at first—as long as Veronica stays in her place, covering cat fashion shows, cooking, and other "female" interests. But when Veronica refuses to settle for being eye candy and steps behind the news desk, it’s more than a battle between two perfectly coiffed anchor-persons…it’s war. Will Ferrell co-wrote the screenplay for "Anchorman" with Adam McKay, a former "Saturday Night Live" head writer and founder of the Upright Citizen’s Brigade comedy troupe. McKay is also making his directorial debut on "Anchorman." Judd Apatow ("The Cable Guy," TV’s "Freaks and Geeks") is producing the film, with Shauna Robertson ("Meet The Parents," "Elf"), David O. Russell ("Three Kings," "Flirting With Disaster") and David Householter ("The Core") co-producing. "Anchorman" also stars David Koechner ("A Guy Thing"), Steve Carell ("Bruce Almighty") and Paul Rudd ("The Shape of Things," "The Cider House Rules") as members of Ron’s news team, and Fred Willard ("American Wedding," "A Mighty Wind") and Chris Parnell (TV’s "Saturday Night Live") as news producers. Kevin Corrigan (TV’s "Grounded For Life," "Slums of Beverly Hills"), renowned rap musician Chuck D (of Public Enemy), Tara Subkoff ("The Cell," "American Pie") and Maya Rudolph (TV’s "Saturday Night Live") appear as members of the radical underground group The Alarm Clock, which becomes the big news story of the day. [More]
Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, David Koechner
Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Fred Willard, Chris Parnell, Steve Carell
Director: Adam McKay
Director: Adam McKay
Screenwriter: Adam McKay, Will Ferrell
Producer: Judd Apatow
Composer: Alex Wurman
Studio: DreamWorks Distribution LLC
Reviews for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Doesn't quite live up to the promise of its admittedly funny trailer, though it does have several good laugh-out-loud gags.
The period vibe is basically the whole point to this charming and often very funny film.
This goofy, energetic comedy flattens out at times but milks its 1970s setting and characters for numerous huge laughs.
Most of the comedy is rather obvious--silly and corny--yet it's often so dumb it's intermittently funny.
A crude, funny satire that tackles local television anchors and their newscasts. Those are easy targets to skewer, but the movie mines more truth from its subject than some in the biz will want to admit.
Some of Anchorman is the kind of giddy, nonsensical stuff that can only emerge from a genuinely deranged comic brain.
Ostensibly modeled on the egomaniacal Ted Baxter of the old Mary Tyler Moore TV series, this adventure's protagonist is less comical, less endearing, and generally grates on the nerves.
Word is Ferrell got the idea for the film one night while watching a documentary on the male dominated world of 70s television news. His fans should thank their lucky stars the comedian happened to catch it.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy shows that the past has bright future in Hollywood comedies.
So funny that you won't care that it has no real plot but boasts more bad wigs than The Lord of the Rings...
Fans of the Todd Phillips school of comedy are going to be divided on this one -- there's real potential here and a great premise but had it been a little cleverer it could've been so much more.
Latest News for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
June 02, 2009:
Will Ferrell Talks Land of the Lost
Ahead of the release of the comedy-adventure Land of the Lost -- a big-screen adaptation of Sid and Marty Kroft's psychedelic TV series from the '70s -- Rotten Tomatoes got the... More...
May 27, 2009:
Will Ferrell Talks Anchorman Sequel ![]()
Hope you've been staying classy, San Diego -- Will Ferrell says discussions for an "Anchorman" sequel are taking place. More...
July 25, 2008:
Weekly Ketchup: Anchorman 2, Dracula: Year Zero, Twilight Zone and Much More
In this week's Weekly Ketchup we've got the latest on plenty of remakes and sequels coming your way. Plus, check back Monday for an extra special edition of the Ketchup, in... More...
June 06, 2008:
Steve Carell Would Totally Make Anchorman 2 ![]()
Steve Carell has told MTV that he has "some inklings" about what Adam McKay has in mind for Anchorman 2, and he's "absolutely" interested in coming back for the sequel. More...
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