Simply hilarious. That’s the only way to put it. You think Will Ferrell movies are funny where his spoof of a certain type of person is the dominating feature of the film? Well then, maybe you shouldn’t watch this movie, because if you think Will Ferrell movies are great, then you lack the intelligence to handle Christopher Guest’s superior wit.
While Farrell spends his time making fun of people and activities that are already the butts of many jokes, Christopher Guest comes out of left field with a mockumentary about a dog show. Just about everyone rolls their eyes when we see a dog show on TV, but have any of us bothered to check out all the intricacies and neurotic behavior exhibited by some of these canine lovers? Guest does and does it well.
Best In Show is an ensemble film, showing the lives of several different individuals and couples as they prepare themselves for the rigors of a regional dog show. The dogs are hardly important in all this, making you wonder which is supposed to be the case- Are dog show contestants actually capable of being as egotistical and superstitious as overpaid professional athletes? Or, are these dog owners just as bad as parents who try to live vicariously through their 8-year olds accomplishments and torment them with condescension until they meet an impossibly high standard? Either way, the ramifications are at once startling and hilarious.
Whether Guest is trying to expose the dark side of dog shows or simply proposing a ‘what if’ scenario to show how ridiculous the drive for athletic success can be when transposed on a different kind of contest, the end result is terrific. Call a doctor ahead of time, because you’ll tear your sides apart in laughter.
Let it be said, I really don’t like “unrated” versions of films. All “unrated” means is an excuse for the filmmakers to throw all the excessive cursing and nudity back into the film that common sense told them cut out for the theatrical release. It doesn’t make the film any better. In fact, it often times makes it worse. This film is a prime example.
The concept of The 40 Year Old Virgin is actually pretty good. Steve Carell proves he is a comedic force to be reckoned with, without going over-the-top slapstick goofy on us. His character is not just an overblown comedic character, but an amalgamation of several real-world neurotic quirks that are genuinely funny.
All the extra nudity and swearing reverts us back into overblown comedy though.
There wasn’t a “rated” version of this film accessible to me when I watched this and I’m not sure if one exists. It seems any crude humor now demands an unrated-only version DVD release. Like I said, the story is genuinely good and I would have enjoyed it better if the cursing and crude factor were toned down a bit. If anyone has a “rated” version of the film, I’d more than likely re-watch it to see how the movie really was.
Simply hilarious. That’s the only way to put it. You think Will Ferrell movies are funny where his spoof of a certain type of person is the dominating feature of the film? Well then, maybe you shouldn’t watch this movie, because if you think Will Ferrell movies are great, then you lack the intelligence to handle Christopher Guest’s superior wit.
