“For Your Consideration”
Director Christopher Guest
Warner Independent Pictures
Winning an Oscar is a hefty accomplishment.
Joining the ranks of today’s and yesteryear’s
greatest filmmakers is perhaps the most gratifying honor an actor
can receive. In fact, even a nomination ““ a chance at winning
the golden statuette ““ is a noteworthy success.
And, for Marilyn Hack, a nomination would be enough.
Writer/director/actor Christopher Guest and his hilariously
quirky and ingenious acting troupe (“Best in Show,”
“A Mighty Wind”) bring to life “For Your
Consideration,” a thought-provoking and entertaining satire
of Hollywood and the drive for Mr. Oscar.
Catherine O’Hara plays Hack, an aging actress desperate to
be recognized for her prolific career.
On the set of her newest film, “Home for Purim,” a
crew member mentions that an online blog has recently discussed her
as a possible Oscar-nominee for her current role. The news is
electrifying. Later that night, Marilyn reveals the news to a
friend in a flood of joyful tears: “I’ve possibly been
mentioned for an Oscar!”
Throughout the film, a cast of characters including Victor Allan
Miller (the charming Harry Shearer) and Callie Web (Parker Posey),
are also mentioned for Oscar nominations. But meanwhile, Guest
guides the film through a series of intertwined of vignettes, both
improvisational and scripted, poking fun at the film industry.
The film within a film, “Home for Purim,” is itself
a mockumentary, chronicling a war-time American family as they
place great importance ““ even bringing their son back from
the war ““ on convening for a family dinner at Purim (a
lesser-known Jewish holiday).
“For Your Consideration” is the most narrative of
Guest’s films, but his distinctive mockumentary style still
shines in some of the most memorable sequences of the film.
Characters interact through the lens of the camera, through an
entertainment show in the style of “E!”, and both on
and off the set, but every moment is to be cherished, and even the
most dramatic scenes evoke a smile.
O’Hara, Jennifer Coolidge as the fictional film’s
producer, and Eugene Levy as Miller’s agent, particularly
provide on-the-spot comedy, but the practiced dynamic between the
entire cast is evident on screen, rightfully evoking the communal
feel of the industry itself.
The film thrives on inside jokes, both between the actors and
within the industry, both on set and in the business world. And
there are moments we wish we could laugh ““ if we only
understood.
Yet, we understand enough. “For Your Consideration”
may not be the Oscar contender referenced in the film, but it is a
refreshingly satirical look at an industry we love to laugh at.