VAN NOVACK:Ferrell lands on his feet in ‘Blades of Glory’

America seems to have a love affair with comedic actors. These cinematic clowns have often been the biggest box office stars of their time and at the height of their popularity seemingly immune to movie critics.

While fickle, the American public appears to practice serial monogamy, as usually only one funny man at a time is awarded the crown. Currently, the apple of our national eye appears to be Will Ferrell, whose most recent effort, “Blades of Glory,” just opened in theaters.

In “Blades of Glory,” Ferrell plays Chazz Michael Michaels, the bad boy of international figure skating. Chazz is a lone wolf with no family, coach or other support system to slow him down. Looking somewhat like a fey biker, Chazz ignites the crowd (especially the ladies) with his burlesque-inspired skating program.

Chazz’s nemesis is Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder), an effete artiste on the ice. Jimmy was adopted by his billionaire father Darren MacElroy (William Fichtner) from Eastern Europe as a young skating prodigy. Driven to produce a gold medalist at any cost by the elder MacElroy, Jimmy’s coach (Craig T. Nelson) employs every trick in the training arsenal.

The rivalry between Chazz and Jimmy is nasty but manageable until the two tie for the gold medal at the World Championships. A hilarious melee erupts on the medal stand, which results in a lifetime ban for both skaters. On the way home from the hearing, Jimmy is disowned by his adoptive father and must fend for himself.

Three-and-a-half years later, Jimmy is working at a skate shop and Chazz is drunkenly skating in a second-rate ice show. An obsessed fan informs Jimmy the lifetime ban only applies to being a male singles skater. Jimmy can still skate in pairs competition if he can find a suitable partner in time for the nationals, which are only weeks away. Jimmy’s coach tells him finding a quality female partner is virtually impossible, but an alternative is available. Jimmy can team with the equally down-and-out Chazz and they can skate doubles together. Realizing this strange pairing is their only hope of ever again participating in competitive skating, the two reluctantly agree to be a team.

What ensues is one of the funniest buddy movies in years. Chazz and Jimmy are opposites in every way but are forced to tolerate each other to reach a common goal. Now that they are pairs skaters, they must compete against the brother and sister team of Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg, played by real-life married couple Will Arnett and Amy Poehler. Willing to do anything to win, the Van Waldenbergs send kid sister Katie (Jenna Fischer) to romance both Chazz and Jimmy in order to break up their team.

“Blades of Glory” finds rich comic fodder in the over-the-top world of international figure skating. Several major skating figures appear in the film, which cleverly pokes fun at the seriousness with which the sport takes itself. The Van Waldenbergs’ routine featuring JFK and Marilyn Monroe is funny enough to be worth the price of admission alone.

“Blades of Glory” is at its best when the skaters are on the ice. Fortunately, there is plenty of skating action that is consistently hysterical. Ferrell proves once again that he is one of the best physical comics working and totally immerses himself in the Chazz persona. Heder’s Jimmy is a bit of a Napoleon Dynamite on ice, but the added physical challenges of the role elevate his performance.

“Blades of Glory” is silly in the extreme, but Ferrell’s fans will love it. Basically, if you liked “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” then you will like this film, too. Ferrell has hardly taken a misstep in the last few years, and “Blades of Glory” is sure to be a commercial success. As with his other recent projects, Ferrell’s character portrayal will make you laugh.