Best in Show
3/4
Starring: Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, John Michael Higgins, Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Lynch, Michael Hitchcock, Parker Posey
Rated PG-13 for Language and Sex-Related Material
What makes "Best in Show," and Christopher Guest's movies in general, so funny is that it so closely mimics real life. Nothing that happens in these movies is hard to believe. Guest takes human quirks and oddities and amplifies and tweaks them for comic effect. Sure, they're your garden variety weirdos and eccentrics, but they're the kind of people that you could run into on the street. These aren't the freaks that you'd find in a Wes Anderson movie.
The film uses Guest's fake documentary approach and takes aim at a marvelously quirky concept: a dog show. It's the kind of innocent lunacy that Guest loves so much and does so well with. Nine people (plus their dogs) are looking to win the Best in Show award at the Mayflower Dog Show. Goofy Gerry (Levy) and Cookie Fleck (O'Hara) are bringing their Norwich Terrier named Wink. Hyper materialistic yuppies Meg (Posey) and Hamilton Swan (Hitchcock) are bringing their Weimaraner Beatrice, who has been traumatized after witnessing her owners having sex (and quite possibly their hostile personalities). Small town man Harlan Pepper (Guest) is bringing his bloodhound Hubert. Gold-digger Sherri Ann (Coolidge) has enlisted experienced and arrogant trainer Christy Cummings (Lynch) to help her poodle Butch win the top prize. And gay couple Scott Dolan (Higgins) and Stefan Vanderhoof (McKean) are bringing their Shih-Tzu Miss Agnes.
Just because the film is light doesn't mean it doesn't have bite. "Best in Show" is consistently amusing and occasionally hilarious. For example, the film opens with the Swans seeking therapy for their dog. Or how Cookie is constantly running into men from her saucy past, much to Gerry's jealousy (Cookie can barely remember all the men she's slept with). Not everything works, but it's clear that a lot of hard work and creativity went into this movie.
Although Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy are credited with writing the screenplay, the film was heavily improvised by the actors. What makes this movie work is that the cast creates real characters. They're not just soundboards for stand-up comics to shoot their mouths off. Standouts include the always reliable Eugene Levy, who for the most part simply has to walk on screen to get a laugh, Catherine O'Hara, and John Michael Higgins, who is quite good as the campy Scott.
The film's clever approach makes it a little distancing for the viewer. Some of the bits go on for too long, and most of the jokes are of the "wit" variety rather than belly laughs. But even though it is played for satire, it's easy to get caught up in the outcome.
"Best in Show" may not win the top honors, but it's well worth a look.
Starring: Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, John Michael Higgins, Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Lynch, Michael Hitchcock, Parker Posey
Rated PG-13 for Language and Sex-Related Material
What makes "Best in Show," and Christopher Guest's movies in general, so funny is that it so closely mimics real life. Nothing that happens in these movies is hard to believe. Guest takes human quirks and oddities and amplifies and tweaks them for comic effect. Sure, they're your garden variety weirdos and eccentrics, but they're the kind of people that you could run into on the street. These aren't the freaks that you'd find in a Wes Anderson movie.
The film uses Guest's fake documentary approach and takes aim at a marvelously quirky concept: a dog show. It's the kind of innocent lunacy that Guest loves so much and does so well with. Nine people (plus their dogs) are looking to win the Best in Show award at the Mayflower Dog Show. Goofy Gerry (Levy) and Cookie Fleck (O'Hara) are bringing their Norwich Terrier named Wink. Hyper materialistic yuppies Meg (Posey) and Hamilton Swan (Hitchcock) are bringing their Weimaraner Beatrice, who has been traumatized after witnessing her owners having sex (and quite possibly their hostile personalities). Small town man Harlan Pepper (Guest) is bringing his bloodhound Hubert. Gold-digger Sherri Ann (Coolidge) has enlisted experienced and arrogant trainer Christy Cummings (Lynch) to help her poodle Butch win the top prize. And gay couple Scott Dolan (Higgins) and Stefan Vanderhoof (McKean) are bringing their Shih-Tzu Miss Agnes.
Just because the film is light doesn't mean it doesn't have bite. "Best in Show" is consistently amusing and occasionally hilarious. For example, the film opens with the Swans seeking therapy for their dog. Or how Cookie is constantly running into men from her saucy past, much to Gerry's jealousy (Cookie can barely remember all the men she's slept with). Not everything works, but it's clear that a lot of hard work and creativity went into this movie.
Although Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy are credited with writing the screenplay, the film was heavily improvised by the actors. What makes this movie work is that the cast creates real characters. They're not just soundboards for stand-up comics to shoot their mouths off. Standouts include the always reliable Eugene Levy, who for the most part simply has to walk on screen to get a laugh, Catherine O'Hara, and John Michael Higgins, who is quite good as the campy Scott.
The film's clever approach makes it a little distancing for the viewer. Some of the bits go on for too long, and most of the jokes are of the "wit" variety rather than belly laughs. But even though it is played for satire, it's easy to get caught up in the outcome.
"Best in Show" may not win the top honors, but it's well worth a look.
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