Fellman's Movie Reviews

Red = Spoilers 

Best in Show is a 2000 mocumentary comedy by director Christopher Guest. It was co-written by Eugene Levy who also has a starring role in the movie as Gerry Fleck, one of the owners of Winky, the Norwich Terrier. Many of the actors in this movie are in several of Guest’s other films: Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, and Mascots.  

What’s it about? The movie starts with Meg and Hamilton Swan, a yuppie couple that take their dog to psychotherapy where they talk about having sex in front of it. Then you go on to meet the owners of the various dogs and begin to learn more about the dog’s type and personality. And then people begin to pack up and leave for Philadelphia to compete in the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. One by one the dogs and their owners begin to show up at the Taft hotel when there is some trouble with the Fleck’s credit card, and they’re forced to stay in the Utility Closet because they can’t afford to cover the costs of the room they reserved. The competition begins and the different groups are brought out and winners are selected from each group, all while being commentated on by Buck Laughlin and Trevor Beckwith. Trevor, an especially knowledgeable dog trainer and breeder, whereas Buck, is a somewhat oblivious color commentator. Beatrice, the Swan’s dog, is disqualified early for being aggressive with one of the judges. While Hubert, the bloodhound, Rhapsody in White, a standard poodle, Miss Agnes the Shih-Tzu, and Winky the Norwich Terrier all win their respective classes and move on to the final round. Backstage before the final round, Cookie twists her ankle and falls down, unable to walk. She tells Gerry that he’s going to have to walk Winky around for them. He steadily refuses until he realizes that he has no choice and that the judge has already begun putting the armband on his arm. Although Gerry has two left feet, and hardly knows how to gait like the other trainers, Winky ends up winning Best in Show. After the competition Gerry and Cookie go back to Florida where they are somewhat of local celebrities, and they begin to do radio spots and record tapes of their terrier songs that they’ve written for fun before. Christy and Sherri Ann, the owners of Rhapsody in White have begun publishing American Bitch, a magazine for lesbian dog owners. Harlen Pepper, Hubert’s owner has become a full-time ventriloquist. While Stefan and Scott, the owners of Miss Agnes, have designed a calendar of Shih-Tzu’s dressed in scenes from iconic classic movies. Meanwhile, the Swans have gotten rid of Beatrice and replaced her with a new dog that likes to watch them have sex. 

What’s good? This is the best out of Christopher Guest’s movies. Most of it was improvised by the actors with very little in the way of a script being written. He just turns the camera on and gives them carte blanche to be funny. And if that isn’t what making a movie is, then what is it? 

What’s bad? There’s not a whole lot that is bad when you think about it. I like this movie from front to back. I’m not going to pick it apart trying to find something I dislike.  

The acting? This is one of the best acted movies I’ve ever seen. The fact that most of this movie is improvised makes it even more impressive because it’s coming off the top of their heads. And considering how funny it all is, that’s just incredible.  

The effects? There are no effects. It’s not that kind of movie. There’s a graphic of the Dog Show’s name in one scene. And there’s graphics of people’s names in the beginning of the movie. But as far as graphics go, that’s about as much as you’re gonna get.  

The beginning makes you think it’s a kid. The opening scene makes you think it’s a kid until the camera pans over to show the dog laying down on the couch and you realize these people must be some kind of insane. 

Eugene and Catherine together again. This is just another in a long line of Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara working together. It’s why they’re so comfortable with each other.  

Two left feet. They called me “Loopy”. I’ve never actually seen somebody with two literal left feet. I don’t know if that’s a real thing or not. I don’t think it is. But would he walk in circles? It’s a good question… 

You’re my boy, Blue! The old man. The old man that’s married to Sherri Ann Cabot. That’s Blue from Old School. I’d recognize that grizzled old face anywhere.  

Michael McKean is such a great actor. He really is. I mean, if you didn’t know it was a movie, and it was just a character, you’d think he just moved out of the Village, you know? 

How do the Swans remember all those Starbucks details? How do you remember what kind of coffee you were drinking way back then? Especially if you’re going through different coffee phases. That just makes it even more erratic… 

Why is he taking seven kimonos to Philadelphia? Why is he taking seven kimonos to Philadelphia for a 48-hour trip? Like Michael McKean says: How many tea services can you really have? 

He just keeps listing nuts. I like how Harlan just goes on listing nuts continuously. I can see how his mother would yell at him. I would yell at him too. It’s ridiculously annoying.  

It seemed awfully inappropriate to go kissing Cookie like that. Max grabbed Cookie and kissed her like that sailor in that picture from WW2. That seems really offensive with her husband standing right there. 

Max’s wife seemed completely fine with everything. Max’s wife seemed fine with everything. She didn’t seem to mind Max essentially hitting on Cookie with all his might the entire time she was there. 

I’ll gouge your eyes out with my left thumb. For a negotiator, that didn’t seem like the best way to negotiate a situation. Is that the way he handles negotiations with the people at work? No wonder they all jump. 

That’s the good card. They only had the one card. What else were they going to do? It’s hard to pull $300 out of your pockets. I usually don’t carry $300 around with me. That’s quite a lot of money. 

Gerry and Cookie stay in the utility closet. I didn’t know hotels let people stay in the utility closet. What did they charge them for that? Is there a special rate for that? The “Utility Room Rate”? 

Fred Willard is awesome, as usual. Fred Willard’s character is one of the best in the movie, as he usually is. I rarely see Fred Willard do something that he isn’t the absolute best in. 

Meg Swan is so upset about Busy Bee. Meg Swan is so upset about the Busy Bee, meanwhile, I don’t think the dog really cares at all. And then she goes and yells at the worker at the pet store about trying to find a dog toy that looks like a bee and he’s trying to help her while she screams at him. 

Cookie used to be a total whore. Apparently, Cookie used to be a total whore who slept with hundreds of men, and they run into one practically wherever they go. I kind of feel bad for Gerry because he just has to stand there and watch while she reminisces about having sex with guy after guy that comes up to her. 

How much do you think I can bench press? Just out of the blue, while Trevor is talking, Buck asks “Seriously though, how much do you think I can bench press?” I think it’s one of the funniest lines in the movie and it nothing to do with anything… 

Lesbian dog owners. Sherri Ann and Christy Cummings start a magazine for lesbian dog owners. That’s an awfully obscure magazine. I mean, that’s really specific. How many articles can you really write about being a lesbian dog owner? That’s more of a one-time thing, don’t you think? 

The Swans got a new dog. The last scene is of the Swans, who’ve gotten rid of Beatrice and gotten a new dog, who they take to psychotherapy, and apparently enjoys watching them have sex. Which, for a couple of pretentious yuppies, is supposedly a good thing. 

So, yeah. Go and see Best in Show. It’s probably Christopher Guest’s best mockumentary. If It’s not your favorite, you’ll definitely like it. And as always, keep on watching, with a smile on your face…