Will Ferrell’s new comedyEurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Sagadebuted on Netflix this weekend and quickly became one of the streamer’s most popular movies at a time when America needed to laugh more than ever.Eurovisionmay not bequiteas funny as some past Ferrell classics, but what it lacks in jokes it makes up for in heart, not to mention a handful of memorable songs, from “Volcano Man” to “Double Trouble.”
With Ferrell finding his comedy groove again after the misfireHolmes & Watsonand a string of disappointing sequels, we felt it was time to look back on the comedian’s career and identify his 10 best movies from A to Z, orAnchormantoZoolanderto put it in terms his fans will understand.
Ferrell has been making me laugh since 1995, when I would stay up late to watchSaturday Night Live, though none of hisSNLmovies –A Night at the Roxbury,SuperstarandThe Ladies Man– made the cut, nor does this list account for his other hilarious TV turns as Deangelo Vickers onThe Office, and Ashley Schaeffer on HBO’sEastbound & Down.
Ferrell is coming off a strong turn oppositeJulia Louis-DreyfusinDownhill, but that marital dramedy was left off this list, as was his performance as Watergate journalistBob WoodwardinDick. I also enjoyed Ferrell’s work inDaddy’s Home, and as Big Earl and theStarsky & Hutchmovie, and oppositeAdam McKay’s daughter Pearl in the viral Funny or Die short “The Landlord.” Ferrell even voiced the villain inThe LEGO Movie, one of the most successful animated films of the decade, but I couldn’t put that movie over something likeStranger than Fiction, which brought Ferrell his first and only Golden Globe nomination as a leading man.
One thing that jumped out while compiling this list was the sad realization that Ferrell donned brownface to play Dr. Evil’s Arab henchman Mustafa in the originalAustin Powersmovie. It was Ferrell’s first studio movie ever, and even though he’s very funny in that bit part, it was immediately disqualified from contention. Fortunately, we’re not here to dwell on that error in judgment, we’re here to celebrate the highlights of Ferrell’s film career, which has brought countless laughs to millions of people all over the world. Without further ado, here we go!
And for more onEurovision, including whetherRachel McAdamssings her own songs in the movie,click here.
10. Wedding Crashers
A little bit of Will Ferrell goes a long way, as it did forDavid Dobkin’s 2005 hitWedding Crashers, which cast the funnyman in a third-act reveal asVince Vaughn’s former wedding crashing mentor Chazz Reinhold. Wearing a red silk kimono that exposes his robust chest hair, Chazz is revealed not as some suave ladies’ man, but a 40-something guy who still lives with his mother and has been reduced to crashing funerals to pick up women.
Ferrell slays in the plum part, which is something more than a cameo, but less than a true supporting role. Ferrell is rarely cast as the scene-stealer, but you can’t help but laugh watching Chazz brag about his exploits and yell at his mother for meatloaf. The success ofWedding Crashershelped revive the popularity of R-rated comedies driven by male friendship, so if nothing else, we can thank this film for movies likeThe Hangover,Pineapple Expressand21 Jump Street.
9. Stranger than Fiction
My Collider colleagues felt strongly thatMarc Forster’s clever 2006 film had to be on this list, because it was Ferrell’s first lead dramatic role that found him in good company, working alongside Oscar winners such asDustin HoffmanandEmma Thompson. Ferrell plays an IRS worker named Harold Crick who begins hearing a voice that narrates his entire life as it happens, and positions him as the main character of a novel that ends with him dying – an ending he desperately tries to prevent. Hoffman plays the literary expert who helps Ferrell’s protagonist make sense of what’s going on, whileMaggie Gyllenhaalplays Ferrell’s love interest.
Zach Helm’s smart script is directed with a light touch by Forster, and Ferrell offers a restrained performance that like the film itself, hinges on the little things we often take for granted. Sure, Ferrell’s casting is a little strange itself, but his performance feels honest and truthful, and he makes us root for an IRS worker – a near-impossible feat that on its own would be enough to merit inclusion on this sacred list.
8. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
This was the “one for me” choice, as I’ve worshippedJay and Silent Bob Strike Backsince I was 17 years old. Ferrell plays Federal Wildlife Marshal Willenholly, who claims jurisdiction over an escaped orangutan and leads a manhunt to find “the two most dangerous men on the planet.” There’s a certain kind of goofy charm toKevin Smith’s writing here, especially during the big standoff scene between our two heroes and law enforcement, and Ferrell sells the tone perfectly with an assist fromJudd Nelson. We know how silly it is for Marshal Willenholly to mistake an orangutan for a small child, but we go with it because of the way Ferrell plays it.
Willenholly then falls victim to a fun homage toThe Fugitivebefore ultimately heading to Hollywood to find the missing monkey and catch the bad guys… who turn out to not be guys at all. Then everyone goes and parties with Morris Day and the Time. If that’s not an invitation to watch this movie, which came out one month beforeZoolander, then I don’t know what is, though Ferrell’s scenes with then-Daily ShowhostJon Stewartmay be worth the price of admission on their own.
7. The Other Guys
This 2010 buddy cop movie is just a blast, and one that holds up on repeat viewings. It was Ferrell’s fourth film with his buddyAdam McKay, and it directly led to theDaddy’s Homemovies, so really, this is the film that kept on giving. It starts out following star cops Danson and Highsmith (Dwayne JohnsonandSamuel L. Jackson) until they are killed in the line of duty and the focus pivots to the other guys – Ferrell’s straight-laced Detective Allen Gamble, who always goes by the book, and his hotheaded partner Detective Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg), and they’re called in to investigate a financial scheme being perpetrated by a billionaire (Steve Coogan) backed by a team of mercenaries led byRay Stevenson.
McKay has said thatThe Other Guysstemmed from a dinner that he and Ferrell had with Wahlberg, during which he noticed their chemistry together, and that chemistry is more than evident on the big screen. See this movie just for Wahlberg’s priceless reaction to discovering that Ferrell’s dopey character is married toEva Mendes. Ferrell may be out of his element with respect to that onscreen marriage, but he’s right in his element in this PG-13 action comedy.
As noted above, yes, Ferrell has had good chemistry with Mark Wahlberg inThe Other GuysandDaddy’s Home, but they aren’t a screen duo for the ages. That would be Ferrell andJohn C. Reilly, who first teamed up to Shake and Bake in this NASCAR classic. Ferrell plays the titular Ricky Bobby, who grew up dreaming of one thing – going fast, just like his daddy (Gary Cole), who taught him “if you ain’t first, you’re last.” Years later, Ricky has grown up to be a solid racecar driver, especially when paired on the track with his best friend Cal (Reilly). But when a French Formula One driver (Sacha Baron Cohen) joins the team, all bets are off, and Ricky Bobby has to fight to get back everything he’s lost, including his friendship with Cal.
InTalladega Nights, how you race is more important than where you finish, especially in the eyes of your family. And doubly especially if your sons are named Walker and Texas Ranger. Ferrell scores as an arrogant idiot who wakes up each morning and pisses excellence but still doesn’t know what to do with his hands when he’s on camera. I’d love to see the Magic Man and El Diablo ride once again, and if Jesus, Allah or my Jewish God can’t help me with that modest request then I may have to turn to The Man himself,Tom Cruise.
I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite. And this Christmas classic will put a smile on your face and give you the kind of holiday hug that will make your tongue swell up. Ferrell stars as Buddy, a human who was adopted and raised by Santa’s elves. When he learns his biological father (a surlyJames Caan) is in New York City, he sets out to meet the man while spreading holiday cheer in a world of cynics. Elf was originally a much darker project that was developed as a starring vehicle forJim Carrey, but directorJon Favreauimbues the proceedings with a certain warmth, with Ferrell as the red-hot yule log on which the whole movie burns.Zooey Deschanelmakes a lovely love interest for Buddy, and I’ll always be fond ofEd Asner’s Santa andBob Newhart’s Papa Elf.
Ferrel actually improvised the song he sings in the middle of Santaland at Gimbels, and the actor’s size played to his advantage inElf, as Favreau used force perspective to make Buddy look even bigger in relation to the other elves. There are a lot of you in love withElfand you don’t care who knows it. It’s just nice to know there are other humans who share my affinity forElfculture. Alas, a sequel was not to be, and the same can be said forOld SchoolandStep Brothers, which might be a good thing based on the sequels toAnchorman,ZoolanderandDaddy’s Home.
4. Zoolander
Ben Stiller’sZoolanderwas released in September 2001 in the shadow of 9/11, when Americans desperately needed to laugh, but were still reticent of movie theaters. And even though it didn’t fare too well at the box office during its initial release, it has gone on to become a cult classic. I mean, is depraved fashion mogul Jacobim Mugatu not one ofthe greatcomedy villains? With his wild hairdo and bizarre fashion sense, Mugatu is an inspired comic creation and a hot little potato who proves a strong fit in Stiller’s heightened vision of the fashion world.
Ferrell’s crazed energy in this movie serves as the perfect counter-balance to Zoolander’s own relaxed vibe. He’s a ferocious enemy capable of pulling off a high-stakes hit, and yet there’s something harmless about him. Perhaps it has something to do with the little white poodle he commands Zoolander to obey. Then again, is there anything more terrifying than watching Ferrell lick lollipops dressed as a little girl, or am I take crazy pills again?
3. Step Brothers
This is my personal favorite of Ferrell’s films, but on a pure character level, Brennan Huff simply doesn’t compare to Ron Burgundy, or even Frank the Tank. Still, this is a genuinely hilarious performance that features some surprisingly emotional beats, as Brennan is by turns sensitive and stubborn. Ferrell and his new siblingJohn C. Reillyimprove on their comic chemistry fromTalladega Nights, and the two are so in sync here that they come across like a pair of immature synchronized swimmers.
My mortal enemies and I could become best friends based on a shared love ofStep Brothers, which is the kind of movie that hits you like a lightning bolt to the groin, or the funny bone. “Boats ‘N Hoes” is the kind of timeless classic that will keep Prestige Worldwide in the hearts and minds of fans long after the Catalina Wine Mixer has opened its last bottle.
2. Old School
As great as Ferrell was inZoolander, the film didn’t fare terribly well at the box office, and so it was actually 2004’sOld Schoolthat made Will Ferrell a true movie star. Sure, he was still the third leg of the tripod behindLuke WilsonandVince Vaughn, but Ferrell’s Frank the Tank was an instant star. He had all the best lines in the trailer, and by the time you saw the actual movie about three depressed 30-somethings who decide to re-live their college days by starting a fraternity, you were there to see Ferrell “go streaking.”
Directed byTodd Phillipsmore than a decade beforeJoker, this collegiate comedy was the movie that showed the world what Ferrell can do when you just let him cut loose on the big screen. He looks glorious running around with a dart in his neck and singing “Dust in the Wind,” and he was even nominated for an MTV Movie Award, losing toMike Myersfor the thirdAustin Powersmovie, which seems preposterous today. Perhaps one day the Movie Gods will smile upon us and we’ll getOld School Dos, but maybe that part of Frank the Tank is over, and water under the bridge. If that’s the case though, and you tell anyone, I’ll fucking kill you, because that’s how you debate!
1. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
This is one decision I do not immediately regret. Ron Burgundy is almost certainly Ferrell’s greatest comic creation, a perfect storm of political incorrectness, good scotch, and pure sex. I mean, look at that mustache! And the way he holds that eye contact! It’s the kind of comic performance that punches you right in the mouth and gives you a hot glass of milk after while you listen to a sensual jazz flute solo.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundyfinds the titular newsman falling for rival co-anchor Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), whose hiring he initially resisted on the grounds that she’s a woman. Not very classy, Ron! DirectorAdam McKayhas stated that the idea forAnchormancame about after Ferrell saw an interview with a sexist anchorman from the ’70s, and thought it presented a ripe comic scenario. He surrounded himself with some hysterical co-stars –Paul Rudd,Steve CarellandDavid Koechner– and embraced that misogynist attitudes of the time period. 60 percent of the time, McKay’s satire works every time.
Ron Burgundy has a superpower of sorts – an uncanny sense of smell, as he’s able to distinguish between a smelly pirate hooker, a whale’s vagina, hair that smells like cinnamon, and apartments that smell like rich mahogany. That sense of smell disappeared over time, asAnchorman 2kinda stinks, but fans of the original should track downWake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie, which replaces the film’s pregnant panda storyline with a group of hippie bank robbers who call themselves The Alarm Clock.
Any way you slice it,Anchormanis Peak Ferrell, so don’t act like you’re not impressed.
