A Look At The Funniest Will Ferrell Movies Of Our Time
“Stay Classy, San Diego.”
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Will Ferrell has been a King within the comedy scene for over 20 years.
Dating back to his role as a recurring character on Saturday Night Live, Ferrell has delighted with his wide variety of impressions and style.
This piece will rank the top 16 movies Ferrell has starred in. Surely, you’ll be reminded of some hilarious moments (and one-liners).
16. Superstar
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Superstar was one of the first spin-off films based upon a Saturday Night Live skit. Molly Shannon’s character Mary Katherine Gallagher had a huge crush on Ferrell’s character Sky Corrigan. Ferrell also portrayed the role of Jesus during a pseudo flashback scene. While this film wasn’t exactly of the award-winning ilk, it had some funny moments.
15. Blades of Glory
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This film is an amalgam of the raunchiness and ridiculousness of former Ferrell films. In Blades of Glory, he plays a sex addict figure skater. Ferrell’s character was banned from the sport after getting into an argument with another professional figure skater (played by Jon Heder). After a loophole was uncovered, the two form the first same-sex skating pair – with the hopes of winning the gold medal in the World Winter Sports Games.
14. Semi-Pro
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In this period piece, Ferrell plays a 1970’s singer – who benefitted financially from a one-hit wonder. With the earnings, he bought a basketball team in the ABA. Not only is he the owner of the team, but he’s also the head coach and the team’s starting power forward. With the ABA being bought by the NBA, Ferrell’s team is attempting to be one of the four-best teams making the leap up in competition. Woody Harrelson and famed rapper Andre 3000 held roles in the film as well.
13. Kicking & Screaming
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Kicking & Screaming is a must-see for anyone who’s ever played soccer, or has had children play the sport. While it is a children’s film, there is adult humor – punctuated by the strained relationship between Ferrell and his father (played by Robert Duvall). Themes of family, sportsmanship, and togetherness are portrayed in a humorous and slapstick way.
12. Get Hard
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The comedic team of Ferrell and Kevin Hart elicited plenty of laughs in this film. Ferrell’s character is sentenced to time in prison based upon a faulty embezzlement scheme. He seeks the help of Hart’s character to “teach him the ropes” about being locked up. While it does have some rather recycled stereotypes and racial undertones, the film does well based upon the energy between both protagonists.
11. The Lego Movie
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Playing the villain Lord Business, Ferrell extends his voice for this animated film. It was a massive success at the box offices – pairing together childlike sensibilities with humor catered to the adults. While we can’t get a grasp at Ferrell’s acting abilities in this film, he did a great job at voicing the antagonist.
10. The Other Guys
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Paying homage to former comedies involving the police force, this film pits Ferrell’s meek accountant character with an ornery detective (portrayed by Mark Wahlberg). The cast in this movie is phenomenal – as it includes the likes of Rob Riggle, Damon Wayans, Jr., Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, and Michael Keaton.
9. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
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This is one of the few sports-centric movies in which Ferrell has acted. Playing an arrogant and brash NASCAR driver, Ferrell’s character Ricky Bobby is faced with a fierce rival in Jean Girard (played by Sacha Baron Cohen). The dynamic between Cohen and Ferrell is great – as is the rapport between Ferrell and his best friend in the movie (played by John C. Reilly).
8. Stranger Than Fiction
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Ferrell demonstrates his range as an actor in this film. He plays an IRS agent beset by a mysterious voice narrating his life. The film is considered in the realm of fantasy. Ferrell realizes his life is simply being controlled by the text of a novel concurrently being written. While it isn’t of the goofy variety, Ferrell’s performance is quite good in this departure from slapstick comedy.
7. A Night at the Roxbury
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Another film emanating from an SNL skit, the pairing of Ferrell and Chris Kattan shined in this cult-classic. Playing simpleton brothers, Steve and Doug Butabi represent the spoiled, lazy nature of the typical privileged child. The wackiness in this film gives it an endearing quality – which Ferrell executes very well.
6. Wedding Crashers
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Though Ferrell made only a brief appearance in this film, his short cameo was one of the best in cinematic history. Ferrell’s character “Chazz Reinhold” became a cult hero – in large part due to his penchant for getting with beautiful women…whilst still living in his mom’s basement as an adult. No one will ever forget Ferrell’s cry for his mother to bring him meatloaf.
5. Old School
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Ferrell played a newlywed in this film. As he dealt with a rather rocky start to his marriage, Ferrell’s character renewed his sense of “freedom” as a binge drinking, wild individual named Frank “The Tank.” There are countless scenes in which Ferrell captivates the screen with his seemingly perfect timing on jokes.
4. Step Brothers
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The duo of Ferrell and Reilly is absolutely hilarious. Both play middle-aged men possessing the collective maturity level of an 8-year-old. Ferrell’s character in particular has an affinity for samurai swords, dinosaurs, and opera singing. The movie is utterly bonkers. Yet, it has a multitude of quotable lines constantly used within the current pop culture realm.
3. Zoolander
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Ferrell played the film’s antagonist to absolute perfection. Jacobim Mugatu is a highly successful – yet ruthless and bitter fashion designer set out to destroy the new Prime Minister of Malaysia (who was against cheap child labor). He attempts to use Ben Stiller’s dim-witted character as a means to assassinate the world leader. Ferrell’s portrayal of this satirical individual is fantastic. He absolutely hits on his plethora of quirky sounds and facial expressions.
2. Elf
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Elf represents the most family-friendly film in Ferrell’s career. He plays a warm – yet naïve elf sent from the North Pole to seek out his biological family in New York. Ferrell’s charming nature resonates with people of all generations. While it wasn’t necessarily meant to reach these heights, it’s already become one of the most revered Christmas films of all time.
1. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy
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This is the most iconic film in the Ferrell era. Playing a bumbling news anchor out of San Diego, this 1970’s spoof is chock-full of memorable moments and absolutely hysterical dialogue. Ferrell’s comedic genius shines in this film – piecing together everything that has consistently made him a pioneer in the current standing of the field. The film also features a host of high-profile actors, including Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Jack Black, Danny Trejo, Vince Vaughn, Tim Robbins, and Ben Stiller.
