Christopher Guest is a fairly funny guy, sometimes. I liked what I saw of "Best in Show," so I gave this one a chance and liked it a little bit less. It was a fairly predictable mockumentary and perhaps not as funny because the people it...
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Christopher Guest is a fairly funny guy, sometimes. I liked what I saw of "Best in Show," so I gave this one a chance and liked it a little bit less. It was a fairly predictable mockumentary and perhaps not as funny because the people it portrayed weren't funny so much as they were sad.

Guest himself appeared as a man who fancies himself a Broadway talent (though his past moment of greatness was actually setting a theatre on fire). A small town in Missouri is throwing a pagent to celebrate its history, and that will include a play directed by Guest's character.

Guest's character feels that it's his shot at greatness and a Broadway deal, and even convinces a theatre critic to come see the film. The rest of the movie is primarily about the preparations leading up to that grand performance, with Guest acting as a drama queen and his castmates thinking him a total genius. It's clear to anyone watching that the play is at best destined for mediocrity, and from that we are supposed to draw our laughs as we watch in the comfort of (now) our living rooms.

Overall, the movie has some genuine laughs thanks to strong performances from Eugene Levy and Fred Willard, but most of the movie I felt like there was a nervous laugh in the back of my throat, wanting to come out but struggling to find a moment on-screen that made the timing right. That pretty much sums up the whole movie for me. I appreciate the concept and the crew and their performances and to a certain extent the dialogue, but I just wasn't laughing enough.