Early August auto sales match July's pace

Brazil looks for double volleyball golds in London

First Posted: 8/10/2012 We're used to politicians talking out of both sides of their mouths. "The Campaign" also attempts that feat.
It's a rude and crude farce that takes broad swipes at the political system and the people who manipulate it. It's not subtle about attacking those alleged election-buying billionaires the Koch brothers (called the Motch brothers here). The campaigners themselves are basically puppets &amp;#8212; one a crass, lazy Democrat given to giving in to his basest instincts, the other a startlingly ill-informed Republican whose idealism gives way to a cynical makeover to make him more presentable to the North Carolina voters to whom he's appealing.
The voters themselves are ranting, red-faced rubes who can't stop fulminating long enough to realize that calling the other guy's pug dogs "communists" is the silliest thing ever.
But this R-rated comedy, directed by Jay Roach, tries to have it both ways. It straddles the "fair and balanced" fence, making the naive, effeminate Republican (Zach Galifianakis) an idealist backed by the evil Motch brothers (Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow) and the Democrat (Will Ferrell) a boozy, womanizing cynic whose idealism evaporated in high school.
The worst thing about the Republican is his stupidity. Galifianakis makes Marty Huggins, a Hammond, N.C., tour guide who is nothing but a disappointment to his racist, vile dad (Brian Cox), likably daft. The plump, prancing Galifianakis makes Marty the sort of guy you'd love to take to Chick-Fil-A. Or not. The film's earliest comic shock is when we see he has an equally plump wife and kids.
Ferrell is ferociously, hilariously unlikable as Cam Brady, the four-term incumbent. Whatever his merits as a congressman, the very idea that he has to run for re-election, and against this idiotic sissy to boot, makes him nuts, leading to one gaffe after another.
Director Roach throws filthy-mouthed kids, sister-marrying "born again" Christians, sex in port-a-johns and wardrobe malfunctions at us. The campaign ads &amp;#8212; tested on the candidates &amp;#8212; are jaw-droppers, full of whoppers and "Jesus" bromides and porn. The candidates themselves are the biggest mess of all. Marty ineptly panders to the Jewish vote in a synagogue, while Cam joins a black Baptist church choir.
The one unadulterated, fall-on-the-floor running gag is played to perfection by Karen Maruyama. She's Mrs. Yao, the maid for Marty's bigoted dad, forced to talk in a Stepin Fetchit sing-song straight out of "The Help" to remind the old man "of the good old days" &amp;#8212; when Jesse Helms was a North Carolina icon and all was right with the South. Maruyama kills, so much so that they bring her back for an ill-considered bit in the finale.
By that time, despite landing more than a few laughs beforehand, Roach must have known he needed the help.
<hl2 style="infobox">if you go</hl2>
<block style="infobox">

What: "Campaign" 
 1/2

Starring: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Aykroyd, Karen Maruyama

Directed by: Jay Roach

Running time: 90 minutes

Rated: R for crude sexual content, language and brief nudity
</block>