5. Chazz Reinhold — “Wedding Crashers” (2005)
The Will Ferrell cameo by which all Will Ferrell cameos are judged, if you wanted to show an alien the purest version of Ferrell’s persona and only had minutes, Chazz Reinhold would be the way to go. A cocktail of delusional hubris and abject pathetic-ness, the formula for which Ferrell should be allowed to patent, the legendary wedding crasher/mentor, Chazz, gets to play more diverse notes in a cameo than most leads get in a whole film, and be MA! MEATLOAF! FUCK! funny to boot.
4. Brennan Huff — “Step Brothers” (2008)
Another genius example of just how far comedic chemistry can elevate a stupendously silly premise, here Ferrell summons up natural, seemingly instinctive comedy gold with frequent co-star John C. Reilly (in his best-ever comedy role, most likely). Somehow the fact he’s essentially playing the same ludicrous, stunted manchild persona that he has relied on so often just doesn’t matter when the jokes, many of them pratfalls, prop-based, or sight gags, are as funny, and weirdly touching, as they are here.
3. Frank Ricard — “Old School” (2003)
The first part of the one-two punch that put on Ferrell on the A-list, Todd Phillips’ comedy saw the actor join Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn as ordinary suburban figures who set up a fraternity. It’s, well, pretty fratty stuff, but Ferrell steals the show as a man who’s been able to repress the hard-partying demon inside for a while, but has quietly been dying. When ‘Frank The Tank’ breaks out, it’s like a force of nature unleashed.
2. Buddy — “Elf” (2003)
Often, Christmas movies are held to a lower standard of comedy if they’re gooey-centered enough, but Jon Favreau‘s “Elf” is the rare one that has as much wit as heart. Ferrell has total command of both those registers as Buddy, the naive, six-foot elf trying to connect with his hardass dad in the Big City. Playing his standard manchild character, with an added dash of innocent wonky enthusiasm, Buddy makes “Elf” one of the most uncynical yet funny comedies ever made — a Christmas gift that keeps on giving.
1. Ron Burgundy — “Anchorman” (2004)/“Anchorman 2” (2013)
He has a voice that could make a Wolverine purr and suits so fine they make Sinatra look like a hobo. He’s very important. He has many leather-bound books, and his apartment smells of rich mahogany. He’s not even mad that you ate a whole wheel of cheese and pooped in the refrigerator. He likes Scotch. He is Ron Burgundy, he is in a glass case of emotion, and he is Will Ferrell’s most inspired creation, on any matrix you choose to judge, especially those of quotability of lines, luxuriance of mustache, and ability to lead tight harmonies. Disagree? Go fuck yourself, San Diego.
Amazingly, because practically no actor inspires such completism, we discovered there are three very early Will Ferrell feature film performances that we have not seen and so can’t judge. Firstly, he’s has an uncredited role as a newscaster as his very first screen credit in the 1997 film “Criminal Hearts,” an off-brand, lovers-on-the-run film starring Amy Locane and Kevin Dillon. Be interesting to root this one out in light of Ron Burgundy, but not to the degree of sitting through the entire film to find those few seconds when we’re on a deadline.
Then in 1997, which means it could technically be seen as Ferrell’s first lead, he starred in “Men Seeking Women” (aka “The Bet“), which has a perfectly generic logline in that it’s about three single men who bet each other as to who can get a girlfriend first. In the absence of us knowing anything about it, we’ll leave you with this brokenhearted Ferrellmaniac’s IMDB comment: “Will Ferrell fans beware… this is NOT a must see.”
Finally there’s the one we’re most curious about/terrified of. “The Thin Pink Line” is a 1998 mockumentary starring Jason Priestley, alongside, incredibly, Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer (both at their peak of “Friends” fame), Janeane Garafalo, Margaret Cho, David Cross, Tate Donovan, Ileana Douglas, Maura Tierney, Andy Richter, Molly Shannon, Laura Kightlinger, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Mike Myers, and more, in — wait for it — a parody version of Errol Morris‘ landmark “The Thin Blue Line,” which appears (according to clips we’ve seen) to play for laughs primarily based on the closeted homosexuality of the Priestley character. This thing is real, people, be careful out there.
Tell us your favorite Ferrell character or moment in the comments below.
–Oli Lyttelton & Jessica Kiang
