Ferrell returns to comedy he does best: farce

[Reuters/file photo]

LOS ANGELES - After a brief foray into serious filmmaking, comedian Will Ferrell is back to doing what he does best -- playing big dumb guys who wear funny clothing and have hearts of gold.

In "Blades of Glory," which opens on Friday , Ferrell plays a champion figure skater resplendent in Lycra that reveals the body's every curve. It is a popular material for well-toned figure skaters. For the not-so-toned, it tends to chafe.

"It's not the Lycra, it's the dance belt," says Ferrell, 39. He pauses and smiles. "But, there's no panty lines."

After a recent dramatic turn in "Stranger Than Fiction," which generated tepid box office returns, the actor/comedian has returned to his flamboyant roots, sporting a number of skin-tight body suits and a shaggy wig.

In 'Blades,' the setting is the competitive ice-rink. Ferrell plays Chazz Michael Michaels, a self-absorbed champion figure skater who must team with his on-ice nemesis, played by 'Napoleon Dynamite's' Jon Heder, to form the first male/male figure-skating pair in history.

To longtime fans of the comedian, the role will certainly seem familiar. In fact, Chazz Michael Michaels could easily be related to Ron Burgundy from "Anchor Man: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" or Ricky Bobby from "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," or one of the many other over-the-top characters the former Saturday Night Live star has parlayed into a career as one of the highest-paid comic actors in Hollywood.

Ferrell, in a recent meeting with reporters, insisted the string of zany roles is not something he has done on purpose.

"I have to say, they've all just been situational," Ferrell said, explaining that the idea of a pair of male figure skaters sold itself. "Anyone I told about the idea immediately started laughing."

Ferrell came to "Blades" by way of friend and frequent collaborator Ben Stiller, who is one of the movie's producers and was originally planning to star in the film.

Stiller, Ferrell and comic actors Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Jack Black, Steve Carell and Luke Wilson have been dubbed the "Frat Pack" for their penchant for farcical comedies and cameos in one another's films.

But Ferrell seemed to be taking the more serious route of comedians turned dramatic actors like Tom Hanks and Jim Carrey when he starred in the 2006 dramatic comedy "Stranger Than Fiction," which also starred Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Unfortunately, the picture didn't catch on with audiences, and generated a rather meager -- by Ferrell standards -- $40 million domestic box office, according to Web site Boxofficemojo.com. Compared to domestic takes of $148 million from 2006's 'Talladega Nights' and $173 million from 2003's 'Elf,' it was a dud.

Next up for the actor is 'Semi-Pro,' another sports comedy set in the flamboyant world of the 1970s American Basketball Association. Ferrell plays a basketball player named Jackie Moon.