The Campaign

Play trailer

The Campaign

R

2012

1h 25m

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

66%

Tomatometer

201 Reviews

51%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

When incumbent Congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) commits a major gaffe, two wealthy CEOs decide to try to gain influence in their district by putting up a rival candidate. Their unlikely choice is a naive tourism director named Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis). Aided by his family's political connections and a cutthroat campaign manager, Marty soon becomes locked in a dead heat with Cam. As Election Day approaches, each man slings mud galore in a last-ditch effort to bury the other.

Critics Consensus

Its crude brand of political satire isn't quite as smart or sharp as one might hope in an election year, but The Campaign manages to generate a sufficient number of laughs thanks to its well-matched leads.

Read Critics Reviews

Kate Muir

The Times (UK)

09/28/2012

3/5

Perhaps one in ten of the jokes hits the mark; the rest are damp, childish squibs

Go to Full Review

Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

09/28/2012

2/5

There are some laughs, it doesn't overstay its welcome and neither side in the present fight for the presidency is likely to be offended.

Go to Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

09/28/2012

3/5

The increasingly absurd squabbling between Ferrell and Galifianakis provides more than enough hearty laughs to be getting on with.

Go to Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

08/10/2022

4/5

The Campaign is a satire that is pointing what's wrong with American politics and in this regard, it hits it right on the money.

Go to Full Review

David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

02/12/2021

Overwhelmed by events, intimidated by the ultra-right, intellectually lazy, distant from the population and its problems and feelings, the liberals find it almost impossible to summon up anything meaningful to say.

Go to Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

12/01/2020

6/10

Underneath the layer of laughs is a rather forgettable story.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Ed R

@JustcallmeER Oct 31

Over the top comedy with hilarity that continues to ensue!

See more

John C

@RT25427934 02/04/2025

I think that, living in Britain and being brought up on such classics as `Yes, Minister' and `The Thick of It,' the bar has been raised pretty high when it comes to political satire. The Campaign is about two political rivals, vying to be Senator in America. It's not as clever as either of the British TV shows; it's more low-brow and slapstick - definitely not as clever. However, it's still good in its own way. Will Ferrell is on form as one slimy Senator and Zach Galifianakis is equally amusing as his hapless and dopey rival. It's daft, enjoyable fun that anyone can enjoy with plenty of laugh out loud moments. It really doesn't matter who wins as the story comes secondary to seeing the two leads send up politicians in general for the lying, patronising, amoral, self-serving cads they are with their polished manufactured image and double-standards (I could go on). Maybe The Campaign is a sad sign of the times? Once upon a time politicians were respected figures of authority. Now they're so unpopular that they're easy fodder to be sent up - and we enjoy seeing them presented like this. It may not be a classic, but it has enough `laugh out loud' moments to make it definitely worth a watch.

See more

Drew B

@RT87397005 01/10/2025

Pitch perfect casting & written horribly close to real life politics... Unfortunately. It works on a lot of levels.

See more

Colby B

@RT20973746 06/19/2024

Not will ferrell’s best but still hilarious. The extended version is the best way to watch the movie.

See more

Jelisije J

@jjosifovic 01/22/2023

An enjoyable comedy about politicians, politics, and the American way.

See more

12/09/2022

Some really funny moments but mostly choppy and dumb

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Jay Roach

Director

Will Ferrell

Cam Brady

Zach Galifianakis

Marty Huggins

Jason Sudeikis

Mitch

Dylan McDermott

Tim Wattley

Katherine LaNasa

Rose Brady

House of My Father

41%

35%

House of My Father

Watchlist

Get Hard

28%

45%

Get Hard

Watchlist

The Goods: Live Hard. Sell Hard.

26%

37%

The Goods: Live Hard. Sell Hard.

Watchlist

The Virginity Hit

26%

31%

The Virginity Hit

Watchlist

Tammy

24%

36%

Tammy

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Tammy

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Weekly Binge: Veep

RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: The Campaign and Alfred Hitchcock

Critics Consensus: The Bourne Legacy Is A Solid Sequel

View more photos

Synopsis

When incumbent Congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) commits a major gaffe, two wealthy CEOs decide to try to gain influence in their district by putting up a rival candidate. Their unlikely choice is a naive tourism director named Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis). Aided by his family's political connections and a cutthroat campaign manager, Marty soon becomes locked in a dead heat with Cam. As Election Day approaches, each man slings mud galore in a last-ditch effort to bury the other.

Director: Jay Roach
Producer: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Jay Roach, Zach Galifianakis
Screenwriter: Chris Henchy, Shawn Harwell
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Bros., Gary Sanchez Productions, Everyman Pictures
Rating: R (Crude Sexual Content|Brief Nudity|Language)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 10, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $86.9M
Runtime: 1h 25m
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital