I had no idea what I was going to experience when I popped this into the DVD player. At first, it didn't seem like anything that would interest me. However, almost every single person I know had seen it and encouraged me to watch it. I'm glad I did give it a chance, because I ended up really liking it. The satire is outrageous and subtle at the same time (something that's VERY difficult to accomplish unless the project is in the right hands). The actors are hilarious and very animated, but at the same time you know that these types of people really do exist! Eugene Levy was my favorite person in the film. He's so subtle and clever when it comes to humor. Overall, everybody was fantastic in their roles.

The DVD has some really cool extras. It has very good picture and sound quality. Extras included are deleted scenes, feature length audio commentary by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, theatrical trailer and more. The deleted scenes are pretty interesting to watch. Tons of special features for those who love the extra "bells and whistles."

"Best in Show" is great satirical comedy in top form. Not a wasted second is present in the movie. If you're looking for something a little less ordinary, this may be the choice for you. Christopher Guest has done an excellent job of orchestrating this very entertaining and clever film that gives us 90 minutes of fun and laughs.

29 of 32 found the following review helpful:

I Give It 5 Dog Biscuits!!  Jul 09, 2001

I don't even remember if this movie made it to the theaters in my town. This is the kind of small gem that slips past critics and moviegoers and either finds an audience in the video market, or passes away into obscurity. Those viewers who enjoyed the improvisational comedy of Christopher Guest's previous efforts (This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting For Guffman) will love Best In Show. It features a wonderful cast that includes Michael McKean and John Michael Higgins, the flambouyantly gay owners of a prize winning shih tzu, a yuppie couple (Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock) whose Weimaraner is as neurotic as they are, Christopher Guest as the proud owner of a Bloodhound named Hubert who also fancies himself a ventriloquist, and Catherine O'Hara as a former nympho who keeps running into old boyfriends (she's had hundreds of them), much to the chagrin of geeky husband Eugene Levy. They are all competing for Best In Show at the prestigious Mayflower Kennel Club dog show. Their ridiculous and outrageous behavior is captured in a documentary style. Fred Willard chews the scenery hilariously as a commentator who seems to know nothing about dogs or anything else for that matter. Don't let this one pass you by, it's well worth the price. The DVD also comes with some very funny deleted scenes and a commentary by Guest and Levy.

28 of 32 found the following review helpful:

"...In some countries, these dogs are eaten."  May 16, 2001
By Greg White
This was a funny, funny movie, to say the least. I've never seen "Waiting for Guffman", but "Spinal Tap" still makes me laugh to this day. My main attraction to this movie was Fred Willard(known lately for his hilarious "conversations" with Jay Leno on the Tonight Show). This man does wonders when it comes to improv, and this movie just displays that so well.

The film polks fun at Dog Shows(one event in which it's participants take itself WAAAAAAAAAY too serious). This is best displayed when Fred Willard, playing a commentator for the show, asks his partner if he could guess how much Fred benched in his prime. Also to mention his hilarious anecdote for dressing up a bloodhound in a Sherlock Holmes uniform, in order to "get the crowd pumped".

I liked this movie, and anyone a fan of mellow humor, rather than gross-out humor(Farrely Bros, etc.) should check this out. It's more of a comedy for people in their 30's and up, but I'm 15, and got a tremendous kick out of it. I won't touch down on the characters, because I'm sure you've read plenty on that already. But, if your in the mood for one hell of a comedy, or just a plain old Fred Willard fan like myself, this is definitely worth a view.

20 of 23 found the following review helpful:

SHAGGY DOGUMENTARY FARCE ALL TOO TRUE  Jul 24, 2001
By Robin Simmons
Sly humor in another vein is finely tuned in Christopher ("This Is Spinal Tap" and "Waiting for Guffman") Guest's "BEST IN SHOW." Writer-director Guest and his fearless ensemble players zero in on the animals and humans who dwell in the strange subculture of competitive dog shows. Almost documentary -- or should I say "dogumentary"? -- in style, this largely improvised, sustained farce follows a clique of dog owners as they enter their animals in a national competition. You may not laugh out loud, but you will certainly smile and possibly even chortle at the eccentric dog owners. There's Parker Posey and Mike Hitchcock, a tightly-wound, pretentious yuppie couple who think they've traumatized their Weimeraner when they had sex in front of him. Co-writer Eugene Levy is a Terrier owner and amazingly tolerant husband to Catherine O'Hara and her prodigious sleep-around past. Guest is a loquacious, ventriloquist-aspiring and literally red-necked owner of a sardonically-faced Bloodhound. Fred Willard steals the show as a naive -- and painfully inappropriate -- ad-libbing announcer. This is a sweet movie that holds an affectionate mirror to absurd human behavior in a ridiculous setting. Animal lovers rest assured, there are no jokes at any dog's expense. The disc includes a witty commentary by Guest and Levy and a bunch of deletes scenes. Recommended.

23 of 27 found the following review helpful:

The Genius of Christopher Guest  May 08, 2001
By A. R. Karpe "ARKendall"
Although this isn't as cultish as "This Is Spinal Tap" or as laugh-out-loud-funny as "Waiting for Guffman," "Best In Show" once again showcases Christopher Guest's brilliance as a writer/director of "mock-umentaries," as well as his impeccable taste in assembling the perfect cast. Guest takes the least-showy role of soft spoken Southerner, Harlan Pepper (a far cry from Guffman's flamboyant Corky St. Clair), and surrounds himself with the likes of Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy as a woman with a dubious sexual past and her hapless husband; Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock as a strident yuppie couple who tear into one another mercilessly over what's best for their beloved dog; Michael McKean and John Michael Higgins as a middle class gay couple who sing their dog lullabyes over the phone; and the hilarious Jennifer Coolidge (in a send-up of Anna Nicole Smith) as a vapid fortune hunter married to an ancient millionaire while maintaining a curiously close relationship with their dog trainer played by Jane Lynch. The movie has a gentle, lilting feel, humorous but not screamingly funny, and takes time to develop these characters fully while exploring the tense and cut-throat world of dog shows. Fred Willard nearly steals the show as a pompous, ignorant commentator. There are so many wonderful moments in this film, you have to check it out for yourself. Not for everyone, I'm sure. The story is fairly basic and, like Guest's other films, this is more a character study than anything else. If you're a fan of his earlier work, this is a must-see.

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