| Best in Show | |
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Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Christopher Guest |
| Produced by | Gordon Mark Karen Murphy |
| Written by | Christopher Guest Eugene Levy |
| Starring | Christopher Guest Eugene Levy Catherine O'Hara John Michael Higgins Michael McKean Michael Hitchcock Parker Posey Jennifer Coolidge Jane Lynch |
| Music by | Jeffrey CJ Vanston |
| Cinematography | Roberto Schaefer |
| Editing by | Robert Leighton |
| Studio | Castle Rock Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | September 29, 2000 |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million [1] |
| Box office | $20,789,556 [2] |
Best in Show is a 2000 independent film that follows five entrants in a prestigious dog show. The film focuses on the slightly surreal interactions among the various owners and handlers as they travel to the show and compete. Much of the dialogue was improvised.
Christopher Guest directed; he also co-wrote the script with Eugene Levy. Many in the cast and crew were also involved in the films This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration.
Contents |
Best in Show is presented as a documentary of five dogs and their owners destined to show in the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show, held in Philadelphia. The documentary jumps between the owners as they prepare to leave for the show, arriving at the hotel, and preparing backstage before their dog takes the show. The owners and their dogs include:
The owners and their dogs all arrive in time for the show, which is hosted by dog expert Trevor Beckwith (Jim Piddock), and oblivious "color" commentator Buck Laughlin (Fred Willard). During the first round, Beatrice is disqualified when Hamilton cannot control her, but the other four dogs advance to the final round. Just before the finals, Cookie dislocates her knee and insists that Gerry take over for her. Though the audience is initially awed by seeing Gerry's "two left feet" (the result of a birth defect), ultimately Winky takes Best in Show.
Afterwards, the film explores what each character is doing after the competition. Gerry and Cookie returned home to Florida and were overcome with attention after the victory. They go on to record, in amusingly bad style, songs about terriers but discover to Gerry's frustration that the recording engineer is yet another of Cookie's ex-boyfriends (Steven Porter). Sherri Ann and Christy have entered into a partnership and publish a magazine for lesbian owners of purebred dogs, called American Bitch. Harlan fulfills his dreams and becomes a ventriloquist, entertaining sparse crowds with a honky tonk song and dance number. Stefan and Scott are in the process of designing a calendar featuring Shih Tzu dogs appearing in scenes, with appropriate costume, from famous classic films, such as Gone with the Wind and Casablanca (and McMillan and Wife, for some reason.) Hamilton and Meg Swan seem to have given Beatrice away, allowing them to a calmer, more loving partnership as well as a new dog that they claim enjoys watching them make love.
The film received extremely positive critical reception. As of February 2010[update], it had a rating of 94% fresh on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes (based on 105 reviews).[4] It won American, British, and Canadian Comedy Awards. The film is number 38 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies".
The film opened to a weekend gross of $413,436 to thirteen theatres with an average of $31,802 per theater. After opening to a total of 497 theaters, the film ended its run with a domestic total $18,621,249. With a foreign gross of $2,074,164 it brought the total gross revenue to $20,789,556.[5]
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