Mascots

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?