From The New York Times Sunday Magazine:
“Anchorman” represented a shift in mainstream American comedy — well, as much of a shift as can be represented by a movie that features a ’70s news team rumbling with its rivals (Apatow’s idea), including a wilding, turtlenecked public-television host chanting, “No commercials, no mercy.” In the previous decade, Apatow’s pals Sandler and Carrey made studios billions with a style of humor whose operating principle seemed to be “when in doubt, kick the bad guys in the groin — twice.” “Anchorman” was different. The humor was self-deprecating, the loathing turned inward.
…“Anchorman” was bully-free, a key feature in the Apatow-affiliated comedies that would follow. “In comedy, you’re playing God,” Feig, who created “Freaks and Geeks,” told me. “There’s a temptation to say, ‘Let’s show how dumb these characters are, get some laughs and have absolute contempt for them.’ Judd’s not like that, I think we share a belief in the George Bernard Shaw saying, ‘All men mean well.’ ”
…The first time lasts less than a minute. After the second time, he breaks into a hosanna of “Aquarius” from “Hair.” The camera switches to a pastoral field where he is joined in song and dance by the rest of the cast. It was completely ludicrous and possibly the most uplifting end to a Hollywood comedy in years. The movie cost $26 million, earned $177 million and made many critics’ Top-10 lists at the end of 2005.
Are you kidding me? These raves about dumb movies?
