56. Waiting For Guffman (1996) - Dir: Christopher Guest
Waiting for Guffman is a consistently funny and a wonderfully executed mockumentary detailing the production of Red, White, and Blaine, a small rural town's theatrical celebration of their 150th Anniversary. The film, written by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, manages to be a somewhat sarcastic and irreverent examination of small-town America, while also offering up moments of integrity and sincerity. Just when the film's purpose seems solely mock local theater and the country-bumpkin inhabitants of white-picket Americana-ville, layers are quickly peeled away to reveal the humble and authentic heart, soul, and charm of Blaine and its Norman Rockwellesque milieu.
As far as comedies go, Guffman gets just about everything right. Often times, I feel that comedies have a hard time sustaining their laughs, and, due to poor pacing and poorly constructed narratives, by the end of many, lesser, comedies I find my attention dwindling. I think there are many comedies with amazing first acts, but almost all of these become unwatchable by the time the third act comes around. This could be, mainly, due to my own aversion to the genre, but I just don't find myself being engaged by long-form comedies all too often. I also find many comedies far too long for their subject matter, a problem Guffman avoids with its 84-minute running time. Usually, for laughs, I will turn to television or the Internet because I appreciate the shorter nature and structure of well executed sitcoms and web-videos.
However, I am almost always in the mood for Guffman. This is mainly due to the amazing performances by the incredibly talented cast. Christopher Guest, Eugene Levey, Parker Posey, Fred Willard, Catherine O'Hara, and Bob Balaban all turn in performances that are endearing and crackling with wit, spontaneity, and exuberance. Because of the improvisational nature of the dialog and characterizations, the film's mockumentary style is strengthened and made to feel all the more authentic. The characters never feel like fictional constructions created solely to be laughed at, but because of the strong performances, the characters remain sincere and likable even though they are a bit absurd and satirical in nature. It is easy to laugh at the film's depiction of middle-America, and yet the film captures the endearing qualities of the quaint little town; Blaine and its population are at once laughable and desirable, and this is the film's brilliance.
As good as the entire cast is, I have to give the utmost props to Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara, playing Ron and Sheila Albertson. The Albertsons, a couple of travel agents (who, ironically, have never left the great state of Missouri, except for an embarrassing medical procedure) , are also Blaine's self-proclaimed showbiz family; as stars of the repertoire theater, the Albertsons are the seasoned vets of the local stage. Willard and O'Hara capture their characters' personalities perfectly, and every single one their mannerisms, quirks, and idiosyncrasies seems plausible, while also down right hilarious. Whether Ron Albertson is performing the same joke over and over again, just to make sure everyone saw it and had a chance to laugh at it, or Sheila Albertson, during a drunken tirade, divulges far too much personal information while on a dinner date, Willard and O'Hara consistently hit every high mark imaginable.
Waiting For Guffman is simply an expertly crafted film. On a technical level, the editing and cinematography create the atmosphere of an authentic documentary, and the subject matter is just goofy enough to be real. It is short, concise, and to the point, and remains consistently entertaining, funny, and endearing. However, all of these aspects are secondary to the amazing cast and the characters they portray. The cast finds the perfect balance between irreverent satire and authentic small-town charm, all while remaining authentic and sincere. While the word “mockumentary” conjures feelings of disdain and snobbery towards the subject at hand, Waiting For Guffman never feels mean spirited or spiteful. It is a good-natured comedy full of great laughs, wonderful characters, and bold charm.
