For Your Consideration

Woefully unfunny but biting... if this was about an awards season a decade ago. Tired botox and e-mail jokes are representative of the satirical take here, not that Christopher Guest is ever cutting edge. Still, his previous works with this core ensemble are seldom this spiteful and compensate with varying degrees of hope and tenderness. Not here, which amplifies all that is stale. Jane Lynch, however, is wicked without saying a word.

Should work better than it does. Guest's previous features had characters just as clueless and self-absorbed, but there was a sweetness and quaintness to them that revealed empathy. Here I sense a lot of bile and anger in the humor, so overall it's not quite as fun and the jokes aren't as memorable or quotable. Still, it has its moments.

So much wasted potential. I expected much better from Guest and co. Only Catherine O'Hara escapes from this mess unscathed and her performance is absolutely glorious. The Home for Purim scenes reminded me of the best moments from Waiting for Guffman and made me long for what could have been.

While still a good movie, this is not one of Guest's best. The plot was predicable and there were lots of chuckles, but few laughs.

While it's quite funny for most of its length, and the actors do a marvellous job with what they're given (especially the lovely Posey), Guest shows himself to be a complete incompetent as a director, writer, and editor. The pacing and cutting is awful, scenes are strung together like sketches or vignettes, with no coherent narrative to speak of, and any form of characterisation is due to the skills of the actors, and even then, there's not much to hold onto.

Fred Willard with a fauxhawk is enough of a reason to watch this on its own

Fans of Christopher Guest's movies will more than likely enjoy themselves as follows the basic structure he has developed for most his films. It's funny but definitely not as good as his other films. It feels too much for people "in the biz" than normal people, which is what movies like 'Best in Show' and 'Waiting For Guffman' so completely charming. Fred Willard was his normal awesome self.

There are some great performances and really smart ideas. But the plot is weak and there's too much exaggeration for a topic which has it already.

Potent mockumentary "comedy" packs a lot of truth into the sometimes desperate lives of actors and the way Hollywood manipulates and uses its own machine. Some big laughs here, but all come with a death rattle attached.

Guest's weakest film since The Big Picture, which was also (coincidentally or not) a movie condemning Hollywood. Not that there isn't plenty of nonsense in Hollywood worthy of condemnation, but the targets are too easy, the jokes too predictable, and I have to wonder if there's not some small amount of sour grapes involved. There are some good laughs, but not nearly enough of them... it's a waste of this troupe's talent, let's hope for a return to form next time. And more Gervais.

The least wonderful of Christopher Guest's four films, but still pretty good.

It's like Best in Show but about Hollywood instead of dogs, so I love it.

Using the narrative format instead of his usual "mockumentary" style, For Your Consideration is step down from Best in Show and A Mighty Wind, but still a valiant effort by Guest to make a good comedy. Coolidge steals the show.

This had a particular appeal for me because I live here in LAlaland. Otherwise, I don't think I would have liked it as much. Still very funny. And Parker Posey rocked.

Sadly I was disappointed with this film. Something was missing. I don't know if it was the departure from his mock-u-mentary style or my complete inability to relate to the characters. Are there people out there in their forties that don't know anything about computers and cellular phones... especially in the fast paced world of Hollywood? I seriously doubt it. I found this film a little too unbelievable. My least favorite of his movies.

Nowhere near Guffman funny, there are moments to be sure, but it misses out too many times. Takes the easy road at every turn.

Absurd, grotesque, hilarious, and heartbreaking. The quick rhythm of all the dialogue made me worry that everyone had improvised all their lines, but the irony is closely written into every scene, and the camera does a wonderful job at sitting on the faces of these comic actors and letting us see every little twitch.

10 is generous.

Reasonably well observed, but while the awkwardness remains (and Ricky Jervias' cameo is quite nice), it has neither the standout hilarity of Best in Show, not the heartwarming connections of A Mighty Wind. Disappointing.

Just not that funny. (Although "Home for Purim" is a great title.) I fear Christopher Guest and his wonderful cast of improvisers is running out of steam. or maybe Hollywood is just to close to home for Guest's satire.

A small misfire that is begging for the mockumentary treatment.

There are movies that try to be bad and then there is this. This is arguably one of the worst movies I've ever seen in my life.

Christopher Guest at his meh-best. Still solid though.

Drifts distractedly from the greatness of the previous films.

Covers an interesting subject and has a certain charm like all Guest films, but not one of the better offerings from Guest.

Fred Willard is good.

One of Christopher Guest's lesser works. Not bad, but certainly not up to the standard the other films have set.

I know this is flawed, but Katherine O'Hara is amazing in it. I stand by that - amazing.

A welcome return to form. Guest's best film since Waiting For Guffman.

"This overcrowded and under-funny assault on Hollywood and the Academy Awards is the latest in Guest's comedy factory of diminishing returns, and there is very little here you haven't seen before." - Jason Clark

This is another fun film from Christopher Guest. There is a great ensemble cast that has a lot of fun sending up the absurdity of Hollywood.

A few laughs, but not nearly as funny as Guest's other films.

Far from Guest's best. Few truly standout moments.

watchable

Love the dry, sarcastic humor, hahahahah

Without question the weakest effort from what so far has been a stellar run of films from the Guest gang. There are highlights (Catherine O'Hara is as ever hilarious) but this lacks the good feeling where I cheered for the characters in spite of themselves.

Despite harsh reviews, this is what you'd expect from a Christopher Guest movie. A few of the jokes are a bit old, and you get the feeling that there could be a little more creativity (After all, they are making fun of themselves), but it's funny, and you can't ask for much more from a Christopher Guest movie. As far as the MVP of this cast? Jane Lynch. Hands down.

It ended up being more depressing than funny and none of the characters were very endearing.

Reasonably diverting, but probably my least favourite of Guest's films.

Same acting troupe, same editing style, same writers, same direction. Seems that all that's missing is the humor.

Not my favorite Christopher Guest, but it's still Christopher Guest and therefore is still funny.

Guest's worst film

I got some laughs, but this Guest mockumentary doesn't have the charm or emotional resonance of some of his others.

One of the worst movies that I already saw, boring.

Guest's splendid streak of semi-improvised wonders that began with Waiting for Guffman yields a complete clunker with this plodding send-up of the Hollywood awards season. Guest never nails the tone this time out as the broad jokes about addled publicists and pastrami-munching directors float in disharmony with the pathos of struggling actors who watch their fleeting shot at respectability fade to black. For the first time, Guest's troupe strains instead of soars.