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!! POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW !!
Best In Show is a mockumentary-style film from 2000. It has an all-star cast that includes Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Jennifer Coolidge, Fred Willard, and the list goes on. I heard great things about this movie so I went into it with high expectations, and it delivered ten-fold.
The movie follows dog show contestants and their dogs as they prepare for and compete in the prestigious Mayflower Dog Show. With the low-stakes plot and very simple story line, the main focus of the movie is in the performances of these legendary comedians, and every single actor came to play.
They all played different types of characters, from a hyper-obsessive lawyer couple (Michael Hitchcock and Parker Posey), to an 'opposites attract' couple (Michael McKean and John Michael Higgins), and even a dedicated dog handler and wealthy housewife (Jane Lynch and Jennifer Coolidge). Every line was delivered with perfect comedic timing and there were parts where I couldn't differentiate the improv from the script. And all the while their characters' love for their dogs was ever present. I love it when people really care about a very niche competition, it adds stakes to a very low-stakes situation in the best way.
However, for me the shining star of the entire movie was Fred Willard's character Buck Laughlin. I truly believe the director just told him to go out there and be himself, and that's just what he did. Buck was one of the commentators for the Mayflower competition who knew nothing about dog shows. Buck is constantly cracking jokes about the absurdity of the entire thing, and I truly believe it was just Fred Willard saying what he himself would say in that situation. He was incredible and one of the many great parts about this near perfect movie.
This movie is under ninety minutes which gets major points from me, and every minute is well spent. This movie is very re-watchable and incredibly quotable. I'm definitely adding it to my 'favourite movies' and 'throw on when I can't think of anything else to watch' list. I highly recommend you watch it if you haven't already, it's an absolute treat.