If you can't get enough of the mockumentary genre
... here's another one from Christopher Guest (lead
guitarist Nigel of "Spinal Tap") and Eugene Levy
(bumbling father in "American Pie" and much earlier
sketch comic with SCTV). These two funny men loosely
drew up the script together, "Our outline gives a
very solid blueprint to the actors so they know ...
to get from point A to point B, but how they do it is
largely up to them," says Levy. Both costar in the
film while Guest directs.
The Documentary follows five couples on their
quest to win the Mayflower "Best In Show" cup for
their pretty purebred pets. Out of fabulous Fern
City, Florida comes the husband and wife team, Cookie
and Gerry (Levy). Cookie's pre-marriage swinging
provides the fuel for follies with nerdy hubby
Gerry.
Yuppie Starbucks types, Meg and Hamilton,
broadcast most of the stress and dysfunction, with
relationship tension as tight as the wires in their
full-mouth braces.
Harlan Pepper (Guest), a fly fisherman from North
Carolina, can name every type of nut in the forest
and moonlights as a veteran home ventriloquist.
Scott and Stefan are the gay couple; while
voluptuous Sherri says of wealthy aged husband, "We
have a lot in common. We both like soup," and "We can
always find something to not talk about for
hours."
Fred Willard nails the bit part of color
commentator, a hundred times more knowledgeable about
baseball than dogs. His canine-inanities are fielded
by a low-key British expert. The frisky contrast of
the two is sparkling.
All involved do a strong job of improvisational
acting. The direction and editing is tight and the
humor very often delightfully dry. I enjoyed it.
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