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Best in Show

Play trailer Poster for Best in Show PG-13 Released Sep 29, 2000 1h 30m Comedy LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
93% Tomatometer 116 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
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.
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Critics Consensus

A fine example of writer-director-star Christopher Guest's gift for improv comedy, Best in Show boasts an appealingly quirky premise and a brilliantly talented cast.

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Critics Reviews

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David Ansen Newsweek Guest seems to know just how far he can stretch reality without losing the crucial texture of verisimilitude. This is a comedy even cat lovers might adore. Mar 7, 2018 Full Review Nell Minow Common Sense Media Hilarious and offbeat, but humor is pretty grownup. Rated: 3/5 Oct 14, 2010 Full Review Mark Bourne Film.com ...it's always a pleasure to watch this ensemble of gifted talents do what they do best -- be spontaneous and funny and surprising. What we get is a master-class demonstration of the distinction between comic actors and comedians who try to act. Feb 8, 2008 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...often feels much, much longer than its 90 minutes... Rated: 1.5/4 Jun 17, 2021 Full Review A.S. Hamrah The Baffler Parker Posey's high-strung yuppie sums up decades of American culture: "We are so lucky to have been raised amongst catalogs." Sep 16, 2020 Full Review Tom Meek Cambridge Day Willard plays a color commentator at a Philadelphia dog show, whose observations are off-color and belly-grabbing hilarious - the whole film's one big, shaggy guffaw. Rated: 3.5/4 May 29, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alexandre N Gotta start that I'm not a big mockumentary fan, but I loved the theme of the movie. That's why I gave it a go. Some character arcs were fun to follow, but it was uneven to some others. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 11/15/24 Full Review Valerie H This is one of the funniest movie ever. Perhaps you have to be a dog-owner to really appreciate it - which I am - but it is definitely in my Top 10 favourite movies of all time. Fred Willard is just brilliant! All of the actors are great in it and the fact that most of the script is improvised is so impressive. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/31/24 Full Review Jeff M To say that this is an absolutely perfect film about which I wouldn't change a single thing but then to say in my next breath that this isn't even my favorite Christopher Guest movie should give you an idea of the ridiculously high regard in which I hold his movies. Guest's "mockumentaries" fill me with levels of pleasure and cinematic giddiness that verge on the overwhelming. In an odd way, they feel like they were made especially for me. The unparalleled repertoire of actors he uses, many over and over again, has a remarkable way of walking the fine line between ridicule and affection. Simple lines such as "we both love soup" become unforgettably hysterical in the able hands of these thespians. And Guest the actor should not be underestimated - comparing his performance here with his Corky St. Clair in WAITING FOR GUFFMAN, one sees an almost Streep-ian versatility that is kinda staggering. Of course, SCHITTS CREEK fans will always revel in the chance to see Levy and O'Hara share the screen, and they are magnificent as always. The recently departed Fred Willard, as the most memorable color commentator in the history of film, is peerless. John Michael Higgins kills me! Every performance here couldn't possibly be improved upon. This is one the most re-watchable films I've ever seen, and if this is playing on loop in heaven, eternity is going to be awesome! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/24 Full Review mark g I actually think this might be the funniest movie ever made, right there with This Is Spinal Tap and Waiting For Guffman. I think the film does require some intellect from the viewer though. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/20/24 Full Review Alec B Yeah Fred Willard is hysterical but I'll make the case that its Posey and Hitchcock who actually steal the show here. Their willingness to be as unpleasant as possible in every scene they have is quite admirable. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/14/23 Full Review Ava S Boasting an array of wild and colourful characters, Best in Show's improvisational style set at a unique event works wonders by giving you much to laugh and gawk at. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis 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.
Director
Christopher Guest
Producer
Karen Murphy
Screenwriter
Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Castle Rock Entertainment
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 29, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 3, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$18.6M
Runtime
1h 30m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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