Best in Show

Rating:
Summary: Funniest Film of the Year
Review: Why is this the funniest movie of the year? Because its the most realistic one of the year. In a year of comedies (Road Trip, Scary Movie, Meet the Parents) there is one that sticks out. Best in Show. A tribute (or not) to dog shows and the people involved. Based strictly on improvisation, Guest's actors take characterizing to a whole new level. Creating dialouge, expressions and actions that are so realistic and so believable, the cast comes off as amazing. (in more ways than one) The greatest part about Best in Show (as well as Guffman) is the fact that there are actually people out there like the ones portayed on film. It's avery funny film and yet very sad at the same time. Go rent or buy it today. It's an instant classic.

Rating:
Summary: Paws Down
Review: I had been waiting for this movie! I was keenly disappointed. I watched it a good 20 minutes, hoping to see the "gut-splitting" humor promised and turned it off. Glad I only paid rental for it, rather than buying it. Others apparently found it funny, though, so I suggest you see it somewhere before buying it, and decide for yourself. :)

Perhaps I expected more dog action, and found mostly dysfunctional people dialog.

Rating:
Summary: "Best in Comedy!"
Review: Best in Show, I think, is the funniest movie of the year. If not, the best movie of the year of 2001. All the cast is hilarious, I couldn't stop laughing. I don't care if Ebert & Roeper gave it 2 thumbs down, they can chomp on it. I give it all my ten fingers up for how amazing and funny it is. I HOPE THEY MAKE A SEQUEL OR DO ANOTHER FUNNY ONE.

Rating:
Summary: Intelligent satire for intelligent people
Review: This movie is wickedly accurate and exceedingly well done. I'll never watch the Westminster Dog Show in the same light again! BUY THIS MOVIE!!

Rating:
Summary: Guest wins again
Review: Ah, what a clever and talented man is Christopher Guest. And what wonderfully funny movies he makes! Best in Show is a delight. The characters shine in their mad eccentricity; they're given the directorial go-ahead to get up, move around and show their obsessive natures. But never does Guest, as director, take potshots at his characters and try to create cheap humour at their expense. Rather, he reveals some of the unpretty underbelly of the contest world (this time it's dog shows) and allows the audience to reach its own conclusions.

As in Waiting for Guffman, we're presented with a panoply of exotics and neurotics and allowed to watch them (and their doggies) try to win the top prize (in Guffman, it was a shot at Broadway.) Guest's humor is always kind, never cruel. And this is Guest movie-making at its best. Just a wonderfully funny and, yes, touching film.

Rating:
Summary: Funniest movie EVER MADE
Review: For anyone who has ever loved an animal, been obsessed with an animal, has talked baby talk to an animal, and has been blind to an animal's faults, this is the movie for you! Perfect comedy!

Rating:
Summary: Humor For Those Who Use Their Brain
Review: I had to laugh when I saw a one-star review for this film. I agree this film is not for everyone. It's really only for those who actually watch AND listen to a film. The comedy here is subtle (if you're looking for Adam Sandler/Rob Schneider humor, look elsewhere). Don't get me wrong; if you get the humor you WILL laugh out loud. The genius of Christopher Guest and his troupe of actors (which include the brilliant Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Parker Posey, Michael McKean, Michael Hitchcock and the Oscar-overlooked Fred Willard) is that they inhabit these people so completely because they know people like this EXIST. They put a satirical spin on them, but these people are types, not stereotypes and that makes the humor so much more satisfying. If you enjoyed the great "Waiting For Guffman" or "This Is Spinal Tap", you'll love this. If "Big Daddy" is your idea of great comedy film making, then move on.

Rating:
Summary: I'm STILL howling with laughter a week later
Review: If you're a dog enthusuiast of any sort, or wonder what it is with those dog shows, turn off Animal Planet for an evening and watch Best In Show. Written by Spinal Tap creator Christopher Guest and SCTV's Eugene Levy, Best In Show takes a similarly wry yet loving look at the culture of amateur dog shows.

As with This Is Spinal Tap, the dog show world is merely a backdrop against which the cast improvises a wild variety of characters: a pair of neurotic yuppies who met in a Starbuck's, a trophy wife and her trainer "friend," a gay couple comprised of polar opposites - all these people would be funny enough by themselves, but against the surreal seriousness of dog showmanship they are totally hilarious. This is one of those movies where two days later you're boring people at work by repeating lines from the movie.

Best In Show really has benefitted from the experience gained during Spinal Tap and Waiting for Guffman, keeping a real tight comedic pace using editing - in a film where the dialog is mostly improvised, Guest uses cuts to eliminate some of the lags in between stellar comedic bits. It therefore watches as if the whole thing were carefully orchestrated and scripted, not slowing down a bit.

I'm tempted to say that some people won't "get" Best In Show, but I really don't see how - it's paced well, it's performed well, the comedy is not mean-spirited or nasty, it's just plain funny, funny, funny. Everyone who's seen Spinal Tap needs to see this, and even if you didn't quite like Spinal Tap, you will like Best In Show.

Rating:
Summary: Almost but not quite
Review: The idea was original and a good one, hoever the movie as a whole was poorly put together. It was obvious to just how little, about the dog world, the writers and producers knew (especially comming from an exhibitor's point of view). They missed too many really good oppertunities for rib cracking humor. The budget for this film had to have been very small. While I know the need for effects were nil, it would seem that they could have at least gotten a better camera crew rather then going for the hand held, law and order or "cops" look. I think if this movie had had a little bit more time, and a little bit more research and attention to detail, it could have been really good and absolutely histarical. I can't give it above a three, and I am being kind in doing that. There were some really funny parts in the movie, and characters, but as a whole it was pretty weak. Nice try...hope some one will do another one, only do it better!

Rating:
Summary: Best in Show Better than Sleeping Pills
Review: If you like to watch DIRT GROW, then this is the movie for you ! Watched only half of the movie because we didn't want to waste the electricity and our time. Sorry we spent the money on this purchase.

If you're still interested in seeing it, wait until the local library offers it ('cause then it would be free).