Friday Film Noir
Best in Show (2000) is an inspiring comedy directed by Christopher Guest and written by Guest and Eugene Levy. The film follows five couples who travel across the country to compete in the prestigious Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. Among them are a tightly wound couple, Meg and Hamilton Swan (Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock), a devoted husband and wife, Gerry and Cookie Fleck (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara), and a quiet fly fisherman, Harlan Pepper (Christopher Guest). The film follows their interactions and eccentricities as they prepare their dogs for competition, all of them hoping to take home the grand prize.
Shot in Vancouver, Canada, the film was entirely improvised from a 15-page outline. The actors didn't know what their scene partners would say until the cameras were rolling. The character of the commentator, Buck Laughlin (played perfectly by Fred Willard), was based on the baseball announcer Joe Garagiola, who was known for his uninformed, off-the-cuff remarks while hosting the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The film's visionary concept was ahead of its time, and its improvised, documentary-style comedy would go on to influence an entire generation of television, including shows like The Office and Parks and Recreation. The film explores themes of passion, obsession, and the lengths people will go to in pursuit of a dream.
2000 • PG-13 • 1h 30m
