S-i-i-i-t. Sta-a-a-a-a-a-y. Laugh! The director of the wonderfully wacky "Waiting for Guffman" and many of that film's stars reunite for a wildly hilarious, blue-ribbon comedic look at dog show participants (and the pooches who love them). Hundreds of eager contestants from across America prepare to take part in what is undoubtedly one of the greatest events of their lives, the prestigious Mayflower Dog Show.
Christopher Guest brings his unique brand of lunacy to the screen with another mockumentary in the tradition of WAITING FOR GUFFMAN. This one, BEST IN SHOW, is about purebred dog owners feverishly competing for their pets to be named Best in Show at the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. Using many of the same actors who starred in WAITING FOR GUFFMAN--a spoof on the society surrounding the stage--Guest peoples BEST IN SHOW with hilarious, frighteningly real characters played by Catherine O' Hara, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, and indie stalwart Parker Posey, among others. As the cutthroat competition heats up, the film becomes delightfully absurd. The contestants are hilarious. They include Gerry Fleck, a tacky suburbanite, and his overly popular wife, Cookie; Hamilton and Meg Swan, who are unbalanced, yuppie lawyers with terrible teeth; and Scott Donlan and Stefan Vanderhoof, flamboyant longtime companions who fiercely cheer on their canines while keeping their hearts set on the championship title. A reminder that people often bear an uncanny resemblance to their dogs, BEST IN SHOW takes a funny look at an even funnier business.
Theatrical release: September 29, 2000
Screenwriter and star Eugene Levy wrote the original terrier songs he and Catherine O'Hara sing in the film.
Filmed on location in Los Angeles, California, and Vancouver, British Columbia.
The dogs used in the show are actual purebred show dogs, and hundreds were auditioned.
The Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show was based on the real-life Westminster Dog Show in New York. The entire show had to be created for the film, though, since none of the real dog shows would allow the crew to film.
Michael McKean and Christopher Guest, who previously collaborated on THIS IS SPINAL TAP, wrote several musical numbers for the film.
The film was only loosely scripted--most of the dialogue was improvised.
Time, Rolling Stone, Matt Zoller Seitz of the New York Press, and the American Film Institute named BEST IN SHOW one of the 10 best films of 2000.
The Boston Society of Film Critics named Fred Willard Best Supporting Actor of 2000.
BEST IN SHOW was nominated for the following Golden Globe award: Best Motion Picture--Musical or Comedy.
Best In Show Reviews:
"...[When] Fred Willard shows up...[the film] bristles to vulgar, antic life....[Willard delivers] slingshot zest..."
-- Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
"...A rare treat....A beautifully turned-out film of real pedigree..."-- Andy Richards, Sight and Sound
"...Unique....It's a joy to see a truly hilarious comedy that balances its laugh-ats with its laugh-withs..." -- 5 out of 5 stars
-- Simon Crook, Total Film
"...Waggish fun like this is too good to miss..."
-- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"...BEST IN SHOW has both bark and bite....Its low-key but sharp and amusing sense of humor is a nice fit with the frenetic world of competitive dog shows..."
-- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
"...Reunites many of the same brilliant comic actors [from] WAITING FOR GUFFMAN....This comic jigsaw puzzle is crammed with deliriously funny little bits..."
-- Stephen Holden, New York Times
"...The movie ends up belonging to Fred Willard's grrrreat comic turn as a woefully miscast sportscaster who applies overblown World Series/Super Bowl metaphors to participants on leashes..."
-- Mike Clark, USA Today
Customer Best In Show Reviews Customer Best In Show DVD Reviews
Average Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
Good It was funny! Submitted by crystalabbitt (Lockport, IL USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Intelligent humor Great movie, the actors carry their parts well, making the movie very enjoyable. The humor is great without being slapstick Submitted by leedenham (Chattanooga, TN) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Laugh out loud funny Chris Guest's "mockumentary" about the high stakes world of show dogs and their people. Like "Spinal Tap" "Guffman" and "Mighty Wind," the secret to success starts with brilliant writing and inspired performances by an ensemble cast.
Standouts include Fred Willard's wacky TV announcer, Buck Laughlin, and his deadpan commentator, Trevor Beckwith, played by Jim Piddock. Hilarious!
In fact, many of the jokes are so subtle, you will discover them only after repeated viewings.
Fortunately, you'll be laughing out loud no matter how many times you've seen the picture. Submitted by Racewaybob (indy) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Indeed What You Need Is Some "Hair Of The Dog" if you haven't seen this movie yet...SHAME ON YOU! This dream cast of brilliant and innovative comedic actors (Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Euguene Levy, Kathleen O'Hara, Jennifer Coolidge and Parker Posey, to name a few) camps up this delicious "mockumentary" about a national dog show competition. Much less about the dogs or the competition than their owners' issues, we meet the good-natured but slow Harland Pepper (Guest, knocking a Southern accent out of the park--keep reminding yourself he's British!), the over-the-top, affluent, flamboyant gay couple, the high-strung yuppies, the buxom but dim sexpot married to the elderly millionaire (a thinly-veiled but dead-on potshot at Anna Nicole Smith), and the working class shlubs from Florida with bad credit but a will to win. Intelligent, insightful and constantly hilarious, both highlighting and challenging our perceptions about social status and sexuality, this movie will delight just about anyone who appreciates clever filmmaking. Just TRY to watch it just only once! Submitted by americanaccent2004 (Santiago, Chile) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Absolutely Wonderful! This movie is wonderful! If you want to laugh at genuine humor than this if for you! The characters are brilliantly casted and played. I highly recommend this one for a good laugh! Submitted by Ashlee (Anderson, IN) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
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Best In Show DVD
Best In Show DVD Features
Region 1 Snap Case Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85 Full Frame - 1.33 Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 - English Additional Release Material: Deleted Scenes Audio Commentary: Christopher Guest - Director Featurette: K-9 CORNER Trailers:
1. Original Theatrical Trailer 2. TV Spots Text/Photo Galleries: Filmographies: Cast & Crew
Good
Laugh out loud funny
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