For Your Consideration (Christopher Guest, 2006) [5]
I wouldn't consider this a total disappointment but it certainly not of Christopher Guest and company's better efforts. I don't usually take this into effect when judging a film but I think this could have been better if it was a little longer and a had a bit more character development. As they stand in the film, I feel the characters are too thin, with only the Catherine O'Hara character reaching any sort of depth. There is a hint of pathos in her that I would have like to seen more of. Then again, this is a comedy and treading down a more dramatic path could take away from the laughs. That's the problem I see here however. The characters and all the plot being wrapped up in the anticipation of receiving an Oscar nomination only to be let down leads to more pathos in this film than previous Guest efforts. It's hard not to feel bad for these actors who get completely wrapped up in a whirlwind only to be greatly let down. The laughs here come from these actors being completely out of whack, but I feel bad laughing at their naivete and gullibility. The redeeming laughs come from Fred Willard, who as in every Guest film, steals every scene he's in. That and the Love It/Hate It show segments. Outside, the laughs come too infrequently for me to really recommend this film. Perhaps Guest's focus is on too narrow of focus. The hype and politics surrounding Hollywood awards doesn't seem like it would translate to great comedy; at least here it doesn't.
I wouldn't consider this a total disappointment but it certainly not of Christopher Guest and company's better efforts. I don't usually take this into effect when judging a film but I think this could have been better if it was a little longer and a had a bit more character development. As they stand in the film, I feel the characters are too thin, with only the Catherine O'Hara character reaching any sort of depth. There is a hint of pathos in her that I would have like to seen more of. Then again, this is a comedy and treading down a more dramatic path could take away from the laughs. That's the problem I see here however. The characters and all the plot being wrapped up in the anticipation of receiving an Oscar nomination only to be let down leads to more pathos in this film than previous Guest efforts. It's hard not to feel bad for these actors who get completely wrapped up in a whirlwind only to be greatly let down. The laughs here come from these actors being completely out of whack, but I feel bad laughing at their naivete and gullibility. The redeeming laughs come from Fred Willard, who as in every Guest film, steals every scene he's in. That and the Love It/Hate It show segments. Outside, the laughs come too infrequently for me to really recommend this film. Perhaps Guest's focus is on too narrow of focus. The hype and politics surrounding Hollywood awards doesn't seem like it would translate to great comedy; at least here it doesn't.
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