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For Your Consideration
Directed by: Christopher Guest
Starring: Catherine O'Hara
Genre:
Comedy
Run Time: 86 min.
Release Date:
November 2006
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Christopher Guest has given
us cinematic magic before with such things as A MIGHTY WIND and
BEST IN SHOW. Both had heart, comedy, and understated grace. But
here with FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, that previously successful
recipe gets watered down so much that it killed the entire story. There
were adequate moments — thanks purely to Catherine O’Hara — but they
were seldom and lost amidst the scriptless format that director Guest so
loves to play with.
Guest reunites with his troupe of actors and tries his darnedest to give
us some thought-provoking laughs. This time the story is about actors.
Specifically, it’s a group of actors who are on their downward slope of
their acting careers (or are on a slope that never existed). Currently
these folks are making a B-movie-ish title called ‘Home For Purim.’
Catherine O’Hara, (MONSTER
HOUSE) stars as Marilyn Hack (catch the last name
there?), a B or C — or however far down the alphabet you want to go —
list actress who’s name suddenly gets noticed in a Hollywood blurb on
the web. The site mentions the word “Oscar” and Marilyn is beside
herself with concern. Could she be listed as a nominee? Oscar buzz grips
the studio where ‘Home For Purim’ is being filmed. A possible second
nomination is also mentioned for another star of ‘Home For Purim’. The
cast is electrified and divided. Feelings get bruised as some feel they
should have gotten a mention or are jealous of the potential nominees.
Acting agents get involved, producers fall over themselves to appease
the distribution company (eventually changing the title to ‘Home For
Thanksgiving’ because ‘Home For Purim’ sounds too Jewish), and the cast
prepares for the Oscar nomination list one fateful early morning.
Needless to say, the buzz quickly peters out once the Oscar list is read
and the two would-be nominees aren’t on it (but someone else is!)
Christopher Guest tries admirably to show how hype doesn’t translate to
success in Hollywood, and how wrapped up and self-indulgent everyone can
become (Catherine O’Hara’s plastic surgery metamorphosis is actually
quite funny).
But the short screen time (86 minutes) rules out any possibility of
getting to know these characters, which is pretty disastrous considering
this is a character study film.
Stick with Guest’s earlier flicks and you’ll be much happier with him as
a whole.
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Image from For Your
Consideration
DVD cost: $24.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No..
Newsworthy: Catherine O'Hara got several award nods for her
portrayal of Marilyn Hack, including a win at The National Board of
Review for Best Supporting Actress and a win from The Independent Spirit
Awards for Best Female Lead.
Movie Quote: "Just
tone-down the Jewish-ness ...so that everyone can enjoy it."
Other Actors/Actresses
from For Your Consideration
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