Best in Show

PG-13

Released Sep 29, 2000

1 hr. 30 min.

Comedy

LGBTQ+

List

93%

116 Reviews

Tomatometer

88%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered May 07

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent Best in Show on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

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.

Read Critics Reviews

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

Gareth v

Christopher Guest's best mocumentary since Spinal Tap and an absolutely hilarious look at the bizarre world of dog shows. A blend of unique characters come to life due to it's perfect casting in this must see comedy. One of 2000's best movies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/07/23

Full Review

Johnathon W

One of the funniest movies in recent years, thanks to a pitch perfect cast along with Christopher Guest's documentary style that never fully mocks dog shows. The actors are brilliant across the board, with the standout being Fred Willard as a celebrity guest host for the dog show who has no idea how the competition works so he just says the dumbest things. Behind the camera, writer/director Guest crafts a hilarious homage to the dog show culture that pokes gentle fun at it while never getting mean (in some ways, it even shows some admiration to the competitors). Just one of the funniest movies ever and a must watch.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/13/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Christopher Guest

Director

Michael Hitchcock

Hamilton Swan

Parker Posey

Meg Swan

Eugene Levy

Gerry Fleck

Catherine O'Hara

Cookie Fleck

Christopher Guest

Harlan Pepper

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

87%

75%

A Mighty Wind

48%

72%

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar

TRAILER

for To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar

14%

34%

View From the Top

7%

51%

All the Queen's Men

81%

56%

Happy, Texas

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Cats vs Dogs: Who Have The Best Movies?

E.T., Best in Show, and More Certified Fresh Movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime

New Certified Fresh Films on Netflix: The Shawshank Redemption, Boogie Nights, 2001, and More

View more photos

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

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
Executive Producer: Gordon Mark
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
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now