With The Campaign on its way to a theater near you, I thought it was a good time to evaluate Will Ferrell’s hits and misses via his earlier supporting roles compared to his starring roles.  It’s an Awesome Battle for the ages!

• WILL FERRELL’S SUPPORTING ROLES

Though in these parts he may have played second hat (which seemed to require weird hair… or a hat), no one can deny that Ferrell didn’t chew up his scenes, starting with Mustafa in the Austin Powers.  When he wanted to oil up and wrestle in the otherwise horrible The Ladies Man, he brought moments of tolerableness.  He not only took on Jesus in Superstar, but also Jay and Silent Bob as they struck back.  His Mugatu must have been on crazy pills because he was the only one that could see the fool that Zoolander was.  And who could forget his reintroduction streaking through the courtyard (or his ass) in Old School?

• WILL FERRELL’S LEADING ROLES

He can play it straight (Stranger Than Fiction), he can play it dry (Anchorman), or he can play it over the top (Elf)… but we still have to admit it: he plays it better when he has someone else to play off of (Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, The Other Guys).  That might be why I have to give the Awesome Battle to his supporting roles.  Or do I?

• *THE WINNER* WILL FERRELL’S CAMEOS

SIDENOTE: Sorry, but I have not seen Megamind, Everything Must Go, or Casa de mi Padre.  Or any of his older more criticized flicks like Semi-Pro, Land of the Lost, Bewitched, Kicking and Screaming, or A Night at the Roxbury.  I did see Blades of Glory; I regret that.  I have no excuses for The Producers, Winter Passing, or Melinda and Melinda, or any of the smaller films.  But that’s why none of them are included – I didn’t see them or they sucked so I didn’t see them or they sucked
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