Rating: 
Summary: Funny; not up to standards set in "Tap" or "Best in Show"
Review: If you are a devotee of Christopher Guest's films ("This is Spinal Tap," "Best in Show"), this is a must-have DVD. Guest's unique "mockumentaries" are among the most original, hilarious films out there, and while there are some who don't "get" the humor, I find them to be hilarious. "WFG" is the tale of the sesquecentennial (150th anniversary) of Blaine, Missouri, which was founded when a less-than-intrepid bunch of pioneers mistakenly thought they had reached the Pacific Ocean. From casting calls through the end of the "big show," (including a Herculean snit by Corky that must be seen to be believed) we meet the typical bunch of Guestian misfits who want to "put on a show" for the anniversary -- the travel agents who have never left Blaine, the dentist who mistakenly thinks he's always the funniest guy in the room, the DQ soda queen with visions of L.A., and the director, Corky St. Claire. Corky, played by Guest, is actually one of the weak points in the film because he is so over-the-top (allegedly married to a distant and never-seen spouse, he shops for all her clothes) that he unbalances the rest of the cast. The strength of these mockumentaries is that the cast is all equally bizarre. The rock band in "Spinal Tap" was insane, but they were all more or less living in the same insane parallel universe. Similarly, the dog afficionados in "Best in Show" were all equally bitten by the dog-show bug. In "Guffman," it's clear that no matter what, Corky is always going to be the biggest space cadet in whatever galaxy he's moving through. This is not to say that there are not some hilarious moments. Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara are priceless as the travel agent-and-drunk-spouse who have visions of L.A. dancing in their heads. Parkey Posey (the DQ chick) and Corky have a hilariously saccharine duet in the "big show." And some of the throw-away moments (Corky's adoring male fan comparing Corky to Streisand) are priceless. But the standard for Guest's films is very high. "Tap" and "Best in Show" are some of the most quotable movies I've ever seen, and "Guffman" just doesn't have the meat on the bones that these other films have. Still, an "average" Guest comedy is better than most other fare.
Rating: 
Summary: Beyond Side-Splitting
Review: Blaine, Missouri, the proud Stool Capital of the World, is celebrating its 150th anniversary, and to honor the town and its momentous anniversary, the locals decide to put on a play. Once again, the comedic genius of Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy comes to the fore as we watch the auditions, the rehearsals and the actual play itself. The mock-documentary style so perfected by Guest is perfect in this outing, as the straight-faced, oh-so-serious townspeople discuss themselves, their town (whose history is so funny that I was literally yelping with laughter) and the play. And who is Guffman? A real-life Broadway producer, who is coming to view the show...and who knows what this could lead to? Outstanding acting by Catherine O'Hara, Guest, Levy, and all the usual ensemble makes for a comedic masterpiece. Keep your hand on the remote control, however. The dialogue is so funny that you may find yourself rewinding to hear the bits you've missed--over and over again. The deleted scenes are as good as the movie, and provide so much enjoyment on their own that they should be released as a separate entity! Ditto for the oh-so-serious voice-over commentary by writers (and actors) Guest and Levy. This DVD is simply a treat from end to end. This 1997 outing is as good, in my view, as the brilliant "A Mighty Wind," and certainly worthy of "This Is Spinal Tap." A must-have!
Rating:
Summary: Waiting, but not in vain (or is it "Blaine"?)
Review: "Waiting for Guffman" is generally considered the follow-up to the now-legendary rockumentary "This is Spinal Tap." Despite having a different director (this gem is directed by its star, Christopher Guest), iut has the same brand of straight-faced hilarity from one hysterical moment to the next. It's one of the funniest and most underrated films of the 1990s. The dinky but proud town of Blaine Missouri (the "footstool capitol" of the world) is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a (for them) major celebration of civic pride. Self-exiled theatrical producer Corky St. Claire (Guest) happens to be living in this town, after the failure of his last New York show (he almost burned it down). Corky sees this as an opportunity to get back to Broadway, by creating the historical musical "Red, White and Blaine." In theory, the musical will outline the town's history (complete with a visit by President McKinley and UFOs... on different occasions, of course). Corky is even more elated when a Broadway scout, Mr. Guffman, is supposed to arrive to gauge "Red White and Blaine's" Broadway potential. This is his ticket out of there... and ditto for the slightly odd citizens who are cast in the play: a deadpan Dairy Queen clerk (Parker Posey), a pair of bickering travel agents (Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard), and a dentist with a lazy eye (the incomparable Eugene Levy). Despite a round of problems, cast losses, and the temporary loss of an irate Corky, the show must go on. But will Mr. Guffman arrive in time to see it? In small relatively unknown towns, the people often dream of big things. Quite a few of them also have intense civic pride over stuff that nobody else could care less about (crop circles?). The heart of "Waiting For Guffman" is poking fun at the absurdities of middle America, but not a cruel way. You laugh with the "ship of fools," not at them. Every scene in this movie brims with deadpan hilarity -- all the more striking because of all the ad-libbing that went on. The humor is not the fart-joke variety; it includes everything from Ron's... well, reduction surgery to "We consider ourselves bi-coastal if you consider the Mississippi River one of the coasts." It's pure brilliance from beginning to end -- especially the end, when we get to see the "Red White and Blaine" musical. Guest's comic talent is in full bloom there. Guest is the soul of this film -- his flamboyant, arty theatrical producer is a big fish trying to get out the tiny pond. Fred Willard (in his usual grinning obnoxious dolt role) and Catherine O'Hara are hysterical as a not-so-happily married couple. And Eugene Levy -- always a treat -- is subtlely funny every time he makes his eye wander. Underrated and brimming over with kindly satire, "Waiting for Guffman" is rivalled only by "Spinal Tap." A comedy treasure.
Rating: 
Summary: Side-splitting Fun
Review: Have you ever watched a movie that was so wildly entertaining that you couldn't help but be upset when the film drew to a close? Christopher Guest and his unparalleled cast put together a film that did just that: unique entertainment wrapped around comic genius. The mockumentary style of the movie compliments the wittiness of each of the characters, allowing each to be developed alone and then following the characters as they interact in one of the most ridiculous scenarios ever devised for a film. The stereotypes, eccentric characters, and outlandish humor make this movie one of the funniest ever made.
Rating:
Summary: Christopher Guest's mockumentary on a small town pageant
Review: So, I told my wife that we had too movies that we could watch, but since she had seen one of them several times, she picked the other one, which turned out to be "Waiting for Guffman." After the first five minutes she turned to me and said, "This is one of those movies, isn't it?" I assumed she meant one of the Christopher Guest mockumentaries so I said, "Yes," and that satisfied her for a while. Then a while later when I was explaining that one of the familiar faces was Brian-Doyle Murray, who was also Bill Murray's brother, she told me to keep talking. Usually she tells me to shut up during a movie, but she said this one was boring, so I could liven it up. The only thing was that after throwing that tantalizing bone out in front of me she started laughing at something that happened just about every other minute for the rest of the film. "Waiting for Guffman" tells the story of the pageant celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of Blaine, Missouri, which was founded when the leader of a wagon train heading for California declared he could smell salt in the air and that they had arrived at their destination. Since then the town has been famous for making footstools for President McKinley (which is why Blaine is the stool capital of the country) and visited by aliens. All of this is fodder for the pageant created by Corky St. Clair (Christopher Guest), who fled Broadway for the more comfortable environs of Blaine, where he put on a stage version of the movie "Backdraft" (and almost burned down the theater). Corky is aided and abetted by his cast of actors, who between them have virtually no talent, a fact that nobody seems to notice. His "pros" are a a pair of travel agents (Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara), to which he has added newbies including the town's dentist (Eugene Levy) and a local fast-food worker (Parker Posey). In addition to the whole bit of getting the show ready for opening night there is also the drama of the appearance of Guffman, a Broadway talent agent, who is coming to town to see if "Red, White, and Blaine" is ready for the Great White Way. My favorite mockumentary from Guest and his co-writer Levy remains "A Mighty Wind," mainly because I love the music. The music in this one is not bad and one thing the two movies have in common is a clear affection for their characters (compare it with the roasting Spinal Tap gets in their film), which is proven when the show goes on before the citizens of Blaine. The satire here is subtle and you have to listen to make sure that what you heard them say is what you thought you heard them say, because that is where most of the humor is in "Waiting for Guffman."
Rating:
Summary: Guffman is expected...
Review: In the small town of Blaine they are preparing for their 150th anniversary of Blaine by staging a play that would represent the small Missouri town. The director sends a letter about the show to a Mr. Oppenheimer who is going to send Mr. Guffman from Broadway to view their play. This stirs up some high expectations by the actors and director of the play, and they begin to dream of what this might lead to. Waiting for Guffman is a comedy that has dry humor that grows on the audience as the film progresses. The actors perform well, which creates some very interesting characters that keep the audience's attention and leads the story toward a very rewarding cinematic experience.
Rating:
Summary: A Review Haiku by Todd Marrone
Review: Guest is a genius,
in the wake of Spinal Tap
comes another gem.
Rating:
Summary: How HIGH a Ridge I could not tell....
Review: but I can tell you that this is one mockumentary you should not miss. Having been in local productions I immediately picked up on situations that happen - the ongoing clash between the musical director and the director, the director having a meltdown and leaving only to come back at the urging of the loyal cast, things getting out of hand with the budget, etc. (with director having meltdown with the powers that be over not getting any more money). The UFO stuff is a great added attraction ("I was probed"). What makes this movie a tour de force, though, is the fine cast and their ability to ad lib and become these quirky hilarious people - especailly the ALWAYS hilarious Fred Willard. No matter how many times you see him in one of these films, it is NEVER enough and Katherine Ohara perfectly compliments him in the husband and wife duo. The movie gradually pulls you in and just when you think "Well maybe this one isn't so great" the auditions scene comes along and you are hooked - Fred and Katherine's song and dance routine is priceless (Midnight at the Oasis). Guest and Levy are at their best and the always reliable Parker Posey is wonderful. I can't say for sure if this one is my favorite of the mockumentaries - I love them all - but this one is really great, especially if you have participated in local theater or just enjoy going to the productions.
Rating:
Summary: Pee your pants funny
Review: For anyone who's ever been in a high school play or befriended an actor, Christopher Guest's "Waiting for Guffman" will hit hilariously close to home. The film, which revolves around a historical play being put on in a small Missouri town, is not so much a parody of small town life as it is a parody of drama queens everywhere. Corky St. Claire (Guest) is the play's director and producer, who every wannabe actor in the area worships simply because he once lived in New York (it's never really clear what exactly he ever did there). The small town folks who Corky casts in his play are a series of hysterically funny characters brilliantly portrayed by the likes of Parker Posey, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard. Filmed in a "Mockumentary" style, "Waiting for Guffman" is one of the funniest films I've ever seen.
Rating: 
Summary: Mildly enjoyable (SPOILER)
Review: Maybe it's because I saw A MIGHTY WIND first. I was expecting WAITING FOR GUFFMAN to be just as good. I was expecting Eugene Levy's performance to be just as flawless (it was good, but it didn't hold a candle to AMW); I was expecting Guffman (the title character, of course) to appear in the film; and I was expecting much better closure than we were left with. I really wished the writers had had the characters take a closer look at their performances in the musical (after realizing that the Paul Benedict character was not Guffman) and said something to the effect of "Y'know what? We just did a heck of a show and there's no reason for us to feel depressed about Guffman not showing up. He was the one who missed out!" That would have been nice. That alone would have caused me to move my rating up to 3 stars. One thing I was not disappointed with was the acting in general. It was superb -- a far cry from the majority of the cardboard performances that Hollywood usually puts out.
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