In the new mockumentary "Best in Show," the dogs deliver, but you don't need to own a pedigree to appreciate Christopher Guest's dry sarcasm. The writer and director of "Waiting for Guffman" is back, and his new target is dog shows. With the same supporting cast as "Guffman," this film explores the world of dog showing and the idiosyncrasies of each breed as well as their owners.
Best in Show - PG-13
Starring:
Christopher Guest, Parker Posey and Eugene Levy
Directed by:
Christopher Guest
Now playing:
Showplace East 11
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The best thing about this film is that it is completely improvisational. There is no script, only guidelines about the characters and their motivation. The film describes each owner and their journey to the Mayflower Kennel Club's annual dog show. The dog to beat this year is two-time champion Rhapsody in White, a poodle whose owner resembles Anna Nicole Smith, completed by her relationship with a 90-year-old oil magnate.
One of the funniest characters in the film is played by Parker Posey, whose Weimramer is disturbed when it catches her having sex with her husband in a challenging Kama Sutra position.
The audience will be laughing from the minute they enter the theater. Actors such as Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard have such comedic timing and are so brilliantly funny it is hard for them to keep from cracking up.
Mockumentaries such as this one are so rarely pulled off well (see "Drop Dead Gorgeous"), but when they are, there is no limit to what they do or say. If you have not seen "This is Spinal Tap" (just re-released on DVD and video) or "Waiting for Guffman," rush, rush, rush to your video store. They are great films and are guaranteed to make you laugh. The only drawback to this film is that its format is somewhat identical to "Guffman." But it works.
The old saying that dogs resemble their owners is evident in this film, (note the owner of the Bloodhound), almost to a terrifying degree. But it is hard to determine who steals this show, the pooches or their zany owners.
