Christopher Guest, 2000 (8*)
Former SNL writer and actor Christopher Guest has made a series of small indie comedies, some funny but mostly not; however Best in Show is definitely his best, a hilarious spoof of the big Westminister dog shows that we can now see on cable. The story follows five dogs to the big show, beginning with each in their home town. Four are owned by couples: two married hetero couples, one gay couple (perhaps a little over the top but hilarious), and one lesbian couple (the owner and the dog's trainer). The last is a Tennessee bloodhound owned by bachelor Guest, a southern gentlemen who seems to have stepped out of a forgotten era. His low key style sometimes undermines the comedy, as he did in A Mighty Wind, but it works better here. One would have to say he's not known for his comic delivery.

Most of the owners treat their dogs better than people; the film even starts with Parker Posey explaining a sexual incident to what we first think is a couples psychologist, but who turns out to be a dog psychologist being consulted because her Weimeraner (sp?) is depressed after witnessing its owners making love in some humiliating kama sutra position(!) Former SCTV comedians the deadpan Eugene Levy and always lovably wacky Catherine O'Hara (Beetlejuice, Home Alone) play the funniest couple, with a little Scottie from Florida, who have a hilarious road visit with her former beau, standup comedian Larry Miller, now a hostage negotiator. However, its Fred Willard (Fernwood Tonight) who nearly steals the movie as the naive tv announcer who obviously knows nothing about dog shows. If you like SNL and SCTV, and something a little more cerebral than Adam Sandler, this comedy will likely tickle your bones.