Movie Review by Nigel A. Messenger
Starring: Christopher Guest, Parker Posey
Directors: Christopher Guest, Roberto Schaffer
Films have been made about every subject imaginable, so it should come as no surprise that BEST IN SHOW is a comedy about dog shows with a close up look at what goes on behind the scenes and in particular the dog owners.
Doesn’t sound like something you feel you could raise a smile about? Think again, because BEST IN SHOW is a very funny movie.
To give you a taste of what to expect, the opening scene is set in a psychiatrist’s office…an animal psychiatrist that is, and believe me, the dog’s owners have more problems than I could possibly mention in this review.
The film itself is shot in a documentary style, reminiscent of last year’s release DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, a film about beauty pageants. The contestants here though may not have the attractive human looks of that movie, but they do have the weirdest owners you could possibly imagine. Also, in its favour BEST IN SHOW has more laughs.
I have to say that I will never understand why anyone would want to display their dogs in the way that seems to be required in these shows, but even more worrying, I strongly suspect that although (hopefully) exaggerated, the owners that take part in these contests may well take them just as seriously as the actors portray the owners in this film. In fact the acting is so convincing you may forget you are not watching a real documentary.
Be prepared to laugh right through the movie.
