To understand comedy, you have to get the references. I think many did not understand the satire going on in this film. Most young people do not know what news was like before FOX and CNN so to them the much of the humor of this film would be completely missed. If you are older you would get the references. Also many there are lots of racial jokes in this film and Americans have become so PC and uptight that these jokes would make them feel uncomfortable. People can handle black men as blood thirsty gangsters...there is no discomfort in that. But RACIAL JOKES.....now the line has been crossed. The exact same thing happened to Robert Downy Jr. in Tropical Thunder. People thought he was being too insensitive.....didn't seem to hurt his career. I actually thought this one was better than the first but it was also far more satirical than the first. Where the first movie was mocking anchormen this one mocks then entire television news organization. I think this is one of Ferrel's better films but I also think many did not understand it. For example if you have never heard of the organization called Lighthouse for the Blind, one joke will be missed and may even seem but plain goofy. Overall I would say Ferrel aimed too high. In our current society, humor has to sink to the lowest of the low for it to be viewed as funny which is why the lowest form of all humor, slapstick, is the main ingredient of most popular "comedies" these days......that mixed with an element of self loathing.

Firstly: No spoilers here. That would be pretty inconsiderate.

I don't think there is any single moment in this movie that people will completely lose it over but for two hours the movie quietly pounds away in absurdity. I watched this in a fairly full theatre of college kids and there was a consistent level of positive reaction. About 80% of the attempted humor got a laugh and that's not a bad based on recent experience.

Part of the joy of this movie is that it has so many threads of story to appeal to so many. The older set will enjoy the wonderfully archaic fashion (it made me want to find some of those delightful polyester pattern shirts) and numerous period references, though some of these seem anachronistic given the movie is set in 1980.

At times the film echos Zoolander as macho professional archetypes square off in hopelessly absurd duels for dominance of the stage. The film's closing melee is star-studded and from a story perspective, somewhat of a letdown, but I was too busy trying to figure out all the cameos to realize that until much later. My primary observation from that scene is to note that a lot of famous people are starting to look really old. Yow.

Lastly, the thing that really sticks out for me about this movie is that like all comedies, it goes through that mandatory dramatic shift about 2/3 of the way through but Anchorman 2 somehow survives and continues to be funny. Perhaps that's because the movie's poignant moments aren't all that poignant but nevertheless, the movie manages to deliver laughs even after the usual serious interludes.

Oh, and if you do happen to sit through the movie's massive credits, there is a brief additional scene. It's not worth missing your dinner reservations for but it is there for the intrepid and the absurdly patient.

Among other things, this is an entertaining spoof on the phenomena of 24 hour news channels. Based on CNN's entrance into the brave new world that has devolved into what we have today . . . no news 24 hours a day.

Ron Burgandy and his team are likable idiots who know what people want––a diversion from their boring lives. That's what they give them and it is weird, funny, pathetic and relatively entertaining.

If you enjoy total immersion in idiotic diversion offered up by some of the greatest comedic talents today, watch this movie. Pure, unadulterated, idiocy with some not so subtle commentary on the way news is presented today thrown in. Watch it. Enjoy it. And forget it.

Saw these actors on Jon Stewart and they were a riot, I thought I have to see that movie. Missed it in the theatres, so I purchased it on Amazon, despite the mixed reviews. My advice, if you have to see it, rent it, don't buy it! I should have heeded the 3 star reviews and just rented this. There were only a few times where I actually laughed while watching this film. I was disappointed. I actually had a hard time staying focused on it - it just didn't do a good job of pulling me in.

So rent it first, and if it fits your fancy, then buy it. But it wasn't the right choice for me.

Folks, this is a comedy and delivers some big laughs in my opinion. It seems like some of the reviewers were actually expecting a serious film on news reporting - no this not broadcast news. It's obviously also has some more serious subject matter which it pokes fun at, like sensationalizing the news, conflicts of interest, media bias, mistreatment of the blind and interracial relationships. It takes all of these potentially serious subjects and.turns them upside down.

He still has his trusty dog, his ego is never quite kept in check and there are a few scenes where I couldn't breath because I was laughing to hard. Few comic actors can make me not be able to breath while watching a movie, Will Farell is one of them. His talent is far and above almost every other actor of our time. I also appreciated the cameo appearances by a number of other top comic actors like Sasha Barron Cohen and Jim Carrey. This is a fun and hilarious movie which uses a megleomaniac as the main character, who is transitioning from the 1970's to the 1980's. It's not perfect, there are some awkward silences, but just the clothing people wore back then are worth poking fun at - what were we all thinking. There are less turtleneck sweaters and more bold plaids and a nod to the conceptual art moment of the 1970's. The amount of research and detail which went into creating the authentic 1970's / early 1980's workplace and apartment were outstanding. Seeing one of those push button multi line phones was a throwback. The pictures of Ron Burgandy on the walls of his shared apartment and his "light house.Read more ›