Best in Show

Play trailer

Best in Show

PG-13,

2000,

1h 30m,

Comedy/

LGBTQ+

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

93%

117 Reviews

Tomatometer

88%

50,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

117 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

The tension is palpable, the excitement is mounting and the heady scent of competition is in the air as hundreds of eager contestants from across America prepare to take part in what is undoubtedly one of the greatest events of their lives -- the Mayflower Dog Show. The canine contestants and their owners are as wondrously diverse as the great country that has bred them.

Critics Consensus

A fine example of writer-director-star Christopher Guest's gift for improv comedy, Best in Show boasts an appealingly quirky premise and a brilliantly talented cast.

Read Critics Reviews

Jared Richards

The Age (Australia)

Jun 15, 2026

4/5

Made with absolute love for its characters, it’s ridiculous without ridicule.

Go to Full Review

David Ansen

Newsweek

Mar 7, 2018

Guest seems to know just how far he can stretch reality without losing the crucial texture of verisimilitude. This is a comedy even cat lovers might adore.

Go to Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Oct 14, 2010

3/5

Hilarious and offbeat, but humor is pretty grownup.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Feb 9, 2026

3.5/4

The movie ascends to another level with the second-half introduction of Fred Willard as commentator Buck Laughlin.

Go to Full Review

Rachel Wagner

Hallmarkies Podcast

Mar 23, 2025

one of the best comedies ever made.

Go to Full Review

Chance Solem-Pfeifer

Willamette Week

Jan 22, 2025

A great Guest movie depends on his massive casts entertaining across the board, and Best in Show hits a sweet spot where a half-dozen members of his recurring troupe... project all their insecurities and obsessions onto their nonplussed animals.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Ron S

Feb 10, 2019

The prime example of what a "mock-umentary" should be, along the same quality, quotability, and laugh frequency as "This is Spinal Tap" and "Waiting for Guffman", which is not coincidental. Follow 5 dogs and their humans through the Mayflower (fictional) dog show and get ready to fill your quote bank. I don't know one thing that I would change in this movie. One of the best in its genre.

See more

Albus S

Nov 17, 2018

The laughs are not as plentiful as in Waiting for Guffman (although this is an also very funny film for anyone who loves mockumentaries and deadpan humor), and yet we have the same hilarious cast much more en pointe here with a level of improvisation that works even better.

See more

Abraham W

Aug 30, 2018

I just don't know what to make of this. Is it what Americans watch when Australians watch Kath and Kim? There's a lot more laughs here than in Waiting for Guffman, and it's much better than that in every other way too, but it still really the same thing. A mystery to me, but definitely not my genre.

See more

Draco S

Aug 20, 2018

Falso documental lleno de humor absurdo, pero entretenido.

Poe M

May 28, 2018

I don't know where Best in Show was supposed to be funny, but it wasn't.

Theodore L

Jan 28, 2018

Extremely funny comedy movie

Read all reviews

Christopher Guest

Director

Michael Hitchcock

Hamilton Swan

Parker Posey

Meg Swan

Eugene Levy

Gerry Fleck

Catherine O'Hara

Cookie Fleck

Christopher Guest

Harlan Pepper

Rushmore

90%

91%

Rushmore

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Rushmore

The Triplets of Belleville

94%

90%

The Triplets of Belleville

Watchlist

Brazil

98%

90%

Brazil

Watchlist

Scent of a Woman

82%

92%

Scent of a Woman

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Scent of a Woman

Dogtown and Z-Boys

92%

88%

Dogtown and Z-Boys

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Cats vs Dogs: Who Have The Best Movies?

E.T., Best in Show, and More Certified Fresh Movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime

New Certified Fresh Films on Netflix: The Shawshank Redemption, Boogie Nights, 2001, and More

View more photos

Synopsis

The tension is palpable, the excitement is mounting and the heady scent of competition is in the air as hundreds of eager contestants from across America prepare to take part in what is undoubtedly one of the greatest events of their lives -- the Mayflower Dog Show. The canine contestants and their owners are as wondrously diverse as the great country that has bred them.

Director: Christopher Guest
Producer: Karen Murphy
Screenwriter: Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Castle Rock Entertainment
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 29, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 3, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $18.6M
Runtime: 1h 30m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings