Best in Show
A Quick Search on IMDB: Best in Show was directed by Christopher Guest, written by Guest and Eugene Levy, and was released in 2000.
Before the Viewing: If I’m being honest, I think I’m the most surprised that I haven’t seen this movie, considering This is Spinal Tap and A Mighty Wind are two of my go-to feel-gooders. I truly enjoy mockumentaries as an art form, especially since I cannot improvise to save my life. And I think when Christopher Guest is involved, they’re extra high quality.
To my understanding, Best in Show is about a group of people involved in the world of dog shows. Looking through the cast, I see a lot of actors I recognize from other Christopher Guest mockumentaries, and I have to say, I’m the most excited about seeing Michael McKean. I loved him in the two movies mentioned prior, and he was absolutely incredible in Better Call Saul.
I’m also really excited to see Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara together again. Having first seen them in A Mighty Wind, I really appreciate their partnership. Then, of course, I was (and still am) obsessed with Schitt’s Creek, where they both shined so brightly.
I can’t wait to sit and watch Best in Show. It’s a rainy day here in Augusta, ME. I’ve got my coffee. I’m in my comfies. And I’m ready to distract myself from the existential dread.
After the Viewing: And we have a new addition to my list of go-to feel-gooders.
Best in Show is adorable. It’s a simple plot about a group of people entering their dogs in the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show, which, on its own, does not exactly sound thrilling. When I think of dog shows, I’m always reminded of the one they put on NBC after the Thanksgiving parade, and how that always used to put a damper on the holiday mood when I was a kid.
But the compelling thing about this movie, as with the other Christopher Guest mockumentaries I wrote about earlier, is the cast of characters.
You’ve got George and Cookie Fleck, proving me right that Levy and O’Hara are incredible together. They play a married couple, one a mild-mannered dork, the other with a rather extensive history of sexual activity (no shaming here). They’re just so delightful that you can’t help but root for them, especially when Cookie hurts her knee and George has to present their cute little terrier for the best in show award. And as a fan of their work in A Mighty Wind, I loved hearing these two sing together again.
I also adored Christopher Guest’s character, Harlan Pepper. I loved the smooth southern accent, even if everything he ever talked about was extremely dull…like being able to name different kinds of nuts. No pun intended, Harlan is the underdog, with his big bloodhound, but he does very well in the dog show and I found myself cheering for him.
What I loved the most, I think, was how absolutely ridiculous Meg and Hamilton Swan were. The movie begins and ends with scenes of this brace-faced couple in therapy talking about their dogs and their own sex life. And if that weren’t enough, the film is interspersed with these two continuously proving that they are the Worst type of white people.
One of the highlights is when their Weimaraner, whom I think it’s worth mentioning is named Beatrice, has its favorite stuffed animal go missing. Meg and Hamilton scream at each other backstage, then Meg is sent off to go search for Busy Bee. She is seen dressing down the staff of the hotel, even after they’ve been helping her tear her hotel room apart, threatening to deport the poor maid, then she goes to a pet store, is helped by a very kind employee, and ultimately buys a toy that looks absolutely nothing like the original one.
Let’s just say that when Beatrice is immediately disqualified from the dog show, it’s beyond satisfying.
Things I Could Have Done Without: I know I didn’t do a proper “Things I Loved” section, but there’s one thing that I really did not appreciate in this otherwise delightful movie. And that has to be the character of Scott Donlan.
This movie came out in 2000, and based on a lot of other things I’ve seen that have come out around then, it seemed that was a time where if there was ever any gay representation onscreen, it was always the same stereotypically flamboyant character as John Michael Higgins’. With the frosted tips, the lispy affect, and the obsession with clothes, I found myself gritting my teeth in annoyance. It just seemed to me like they asked one of the boys I went to middle school with to “act gay” and I found it very grating.
It’s too bad, though, because I was so excited to see Michael McKean in this, and his character was in a relationship with Scott. Oh, well…
In Conclusion: While it certainly isn’t the most laugh-out-loud hilarious movie I’ve ever seen, Best in Show is very entertaining. The cast of characters, most of which I didn’t even get into in this post, are all perfectly portrayed by their actors — Jane Lynch, especially. What I really appreciated was that despite having a character who was born with two actual left feet, I found these characters to be relatable and believable. (Okay, maybe not Scott, but I digress.)
Best in Show lived up to my expectations and I’m very glad I got around to watching it. Where Monty Python and the Holy Grail somewhat irked me during my Sad Girl Hours, Best in Show helped relieve them.
