"Best in Show" doesn't only call out for dog lovers, but for all people alike, as the main focus is a dog show competition, but Christopher Guest handcrafted it into a multilayer satire about how people can go to extreme lengths to win first prize.The variety of personalities combined with the traditional cast composed of Guest's regular actors made the character development grow almost on its own.While "Best in Show" will not surpass Guest's earlier films or be in a select top of satire films, it's still a decent mock on the behavior of people in a competition.

While not as brilliant or as quotable as This Is Spinal Tap, writer/actor/director Christopher Guest's character driven mockumentary Best In Show-which is centred on the world of dog shows-still has plenty of wonderful, well-observed moments of dry wit, and is one of those films that I believe can only improve with repeat viewings.The film owes much of its success to its superb cast: Guest plays Harlan Pepper, redneck owner of a prize bloodhound; Eugene Levy is superb as buck-toothed Gerry Fleck, husband to Terrier owner Cookie (Catherine O'Hara), who has been around the block a lot more times than her dog; Michael Hitchcock and Parker Posey are the neurotic yuppie owners of a pampered Weimaraner; Jennifer 'Stifler's Mom' Coolidge plays Sherri, rich owner of a champion poodle, while Jane Lynch plays her lesbian dog trainer; and Michael McKean and John Michael Higgins play a camp gay couple who are showing their Shih Tzu. Meanwhile, Fred Willard shines as the hilariously un-PC co-host of the dog show, whose every remark is a howler.7/10, but this rating may well go up in the future.

This is Spinal Tap (1984) is in my humble opinion perhaps the greatest comedy film ever made. By making it so good, its creators simply set the bar so high, no one else – themselves included – have subsequently ever been capable of reaching its heights ever again. So it's not really much of a criticism in pointing out that Best in Show is not as good as Spinal Tap. It is a satire on the kind of people who participate in championship dog breeding. The events revolve around a gathering called the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. There isn't really too much of a plot-line here, it's very much a character-driven comedy. It works because the actors in the ensemble cast are all adept at improvised comedy, so it's a film full of little moments rather than a major story arc.Spinal Tap's Christopher Guest directs as well as acts in this one. He certainly has a feel for the mockumentary genre and has contributed to many of the best ones out there. I would probably describe Best in Show as amusing rather than hilarious though. There are a few laugh-out-loud funny moments though, such as the scene revealing the man with two left feet; while virtually every line uttered by the TV commentator played by the excellent Fred Willard is comedy gold. Truthfully, mixed in with the best material are some more strained jokes. However, as a whole, it works pretty well and the talented cast elevate the material when it falters on occasion. All-in-all, a solidly enjoyable movie.

I'll confess: I've been a fan since 'Guffman'. BIS delivers exactly as you hope it will, and Catherine O'Hara is always a treasure. So let's cut to the downside. In each mockumentary, Guest always takes it a little too far, and kills his own humor. For instance, in 'Guffman', it was absurd that Corky would end up owning a theatrical gift shop in NYC, but even more wrong was the 'Remains of the Day' lunchbox. It's a great joke but it's TOTALLY out of character - Corky would have no idea that this film existed. Just as, here, it is too surreal that a hotel clerk would offer a utility closet to a poor couple. It's not funny because Guest ventures beyond basic reality; aside from the ridiculousness of the clerk going so far to do this, it's insane that hotel liabilities would be overlooked. Yes, I know, this sounds picky, but a funny documentary MUST stay on earth to stay funny. Similarly, Cookie's past sex life is taken way too far, especially in the visit to the old BF. All of this would work beautifully if Guest would just keep his fantasy a little real. But: it's still a pip. See it.