Best in Show

"Am I nuts? Something's wrong with his feet."
"I never thought I'd find myself saying this, but you're right."
"He's got two left feet."

Philadelphia has gone to the dogs. Every year, the locals prepare for the Mayflower Dog Show...the hotel breaks out the cleaning supplies for their special guests and the organizers brace for dog-fever to hit.
Five contestants are interviewed, documentary style, throughout the competition. From the backwoods is Harlan Pepper (Guest) and his Bloodhound Hubert. Harlan is a fishing enthusiast and aspiring ventriloquist...and believes Hubert can occasionally talk. Then there are the Fleck's, and their Terrier Winky. Gerry (Levy) was born with two left feet and isn't really involved with the dog show, and his wife Cookie (O'Hara) who loves Winky and being the center of attention, and has a bit of a past (she had hundreds of boyfriends, who she doesn't really remember, but keeps running into). Next are the Swan's and their moody Weimaraner Beatrice. Hamilton (Hitchcock) and Meg (Posey) met at Starbucks (they were at Starbucks across the street from each other) and have memorized upscale clothing catalogs, like J Crew, but are incredibly stressed...and snap at each other. Then there is the gay couple and their Shih Tzu, Agnes. Scott Donlan (Higgins) is the flamboyant trainer, and Stefan Vanderhoof (McKean) is his reasonable partner. They enjoy dressing Agnes and their own dog as characters from movies. And finally there is the reigning champion, poodle Rhapsody in White. Rhapsody in White is owned by wealthy socialite Sherri Ann Cabot (Coolidge) who is married to a much older man, and the trainer Christy Cummings (Lynch), who have an interesting relationship...


Director Christopher Guest specializes in mockumentaries: fake documentaries. I only ever watch the televised dog shows when I can't find the TV remote on Thanksgiving after the parades. But pet owners tend to be fascinating...and this film does not disappoint! John Michael Higgins steals the show as Scott, but the whole cast is incredible. There are many laugh out loud moments.

Best in Show (2000) 90 minutes
Rating:PG-13 for language and sex-related material.
Director: Christopher Guest
Starring: Jennifer Coolidge as Sherri Ann Cabot
Christopher Guest as Harlan Pepper
John Michael Higgins as Scott Donlan
Michael Hitchcock as Hamilton Swan
Eugene Levy as Gerry Fleck
Jane Lynch as Christy Cummings
Michael McKean as Stefan Vanderhoof
Catherine O'Hara as Cookie Fleck
Parker Posey as Meg Swan