Mascots is a certified quality controlled creation from the
Christopher Guest classic-making machine. The film is about various working
professional and non-professional Mascots coming together for the annual
international Mascot competition. Hilarity ensues. As Guest’s fifth entry into
the mockumentary genre almost entirely owned by him, Mascosts gives fans
exactly what they are expecting. Almost to a fault……..
I am extremely partial to mockumentaries, two of them tie
for my all time favorite comedies - Drop Dead Gorgeous and Best In Show – with
Guest directing the latter. The genre is so ripe for comedy. Making fun of
something with a sense of self-awareness, being able to riff off something in
its purist form – a documentary perspective to bring reality and truism to the
forefront. It creates a rich world for the actors to play in, often improvising
and not quite knowing what will come out of their mouth but fully enveloped in
the characters they’ve created. (I’m gonna play the Improv card here, I
competed on my high school team for two years, SO I KNOW, MK? IIIIIII KNOW.)
Somehow I wasn’t sure what to expect with Mascots, but as I
watched it, I was embarrassed at my own lack of expectation. This film is
another page out of the Christopher Guest ad-lib book. Seriously, try it: “The
film is about a rag-tag group of people who all have (fill in quirky interest)
in common. Some have a (fill in regional dialect) and each are from all over
the country or world. Most filmgoers see their interest as silly or absurd, but
it’s always taken very seriously by the characters. Except for (fill in
character) who doesn’t see what all the fuss is about. Add some thoroughly
professional and hilarious improvisational comedians. Drizzle with a few
physical ailments throughout, (two left feet, one testicle) Sprinkle some delicious
LGBTQ characters to serve.”
Well, ok, that somehow turned out more like a recipe but I
think you smell what I’m steppin in here. Guest’s work is now predictable and
is always created from his blue-ribbon winning recipe. Even down to the shots,
camera movements, rhythm of dialogue and plot points it feels much like his
other films. With little deviation from these oft used ingredients, Guest has
perfected his own form of mockumentary and certified laughs within his
self-built parameters. I did find myself laughing, the actors know how to do
comedy. I meeeaaaaannnnnn, clearly this isn’t their first rodeo AMIRITE? We’ve
seen rodeos 1-4. We know what they’re capable of. Guest has refined and defined
the genre.
I guest (seewhatididthere??) what I’m saying is I’ve seen
this movie before. Many times. But it will make me laugh every time I see it.
Mascots is on Netflix.
What’s your favorite mockumentary?
