No one is safe when it comes to the newest Christopher Guest film, “For Your Consideration.”

Not agents, actors, directors, screenwriters, producers, or even the hosts of Access Hollywood.

“For Your Consideration” is about a small movie, “Home for Purim,” that isn’t very good at all, but it suddenly starts to get Oscar Buzz. Catherine O’Hara is brilliant as an aging actress, Marilyn Hack, who is way past her prime. O’Hara’s brilliance as an actress is shown when we see Marilyn in the film sans make up, full of wrinkles and lines. It says a lot when an actress in Hollywood today is willing to look old and plain for a part.

Marilyn is the first cast member to gain Oscar buzz, followed by her aging (and past his prime) co-star, Victor Allen Miller (Harry Shearer), then by the film’s young starlet, Callie Webb (Parker Posey). The only actor in the film not to garner any buzz is the young co-star (and Callie’s boyfriend) Brian Chubb (played by Christopher Moynihan).

As with all Guest’s scripts before, everyone involved in the film is ridiculed. The director of “Home for Purim” (played by Guest) tells the actors to ignore the script, which infuriates the writers (Michael McKean and Bob Balaban in roles that were way too small for these great performers). The producer of the film, Whitney Taylor (Jennifer Collidge), is very much a dumb blonde.

Ricky Gervais is a welcome addition to the regular Christopher Guest ensemble, playing the head of the studio beautifully. Also in special note are Fred Willard and Jane Lynch, as the Hollywood tabloid television show personalities. Lynch in particular mimics a certain “Access Hollywood” anchor so well, it’s almost scary.

Eugene Levy, always a comic gem, is hilarious as Miller’s agent, who seems to care more about his clients that are actually doing something, than for Miller himself.

“For Your Consideration” will make you laugh out loud in nearly every scene, but also has the beautiful touch of Christopher Guest when it comes to the ending (and if you have seen Guest’s other films, you will likely guess what that is before Guest shows it to you, but it still will make you smile).

Even if you have nothing to do with the movie industry, you will enjoy this film. If you are somehow involved with the movie industry, you will laugh even harder.

“For Your Consideration” may not receive the Oscar buzz, but it definitely is hands down the best film of the year.






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