Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
The tension is palpable, the excitement is mounting and the heady scent of competition is in the air as hundreds of eager contestants from across America prepare to take part in what is undoubtedly one of the greatest events of their lives -- the Mayflower Dog Show. The canine contestants and their owners are as wondrously diverse as the great country that has bred them.
Best in Show is a Christopher Guest mockumentary masterclass — an ensemble comedy where the improvised performances from Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard and company are genuinely exceptional, earning a rare 4 for Acting. Its novelty is high: while Guest had refined the mockumentary form with Waiting for Guffman, this dog-show setting and ensemble voice feel singular and unmistakable, with Fred Willard's color commentary alone being iconic. The plot is inherently thin by design — a series of character vignettes building to a show — functional but not complex, earning a solid 3. Cinematography is competent handheld mockumentary work, unremarkable but serving the format well. The ending resolves the competition and delivers laughs but doesn't land with particular punch beyond the Willard payoff, keeping it at a 3.