For Your Consideration

While Christopher Guest and his stable of gifted improv actors have had a string of successes (Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind), the fourth time is not the charm. For Your Consideration tries to serve up a satire of the Hollywood awards craze, but whether it's because the filmmakers are too close to the subject, or due to their decision to jettison the mockumentary format in favor of straight narrative, the film seems a pale reflection of the quirky verve marking its predecessors. The plot swirls around an aging actress (Catherine O'Hara) playing a terminally-ill Jewish matriarch in a little independent picture in production, who's mentioned on the Internet as a possible Oscar nominee. Soon the other actors begin to dream about awards of their own, the press (a couple of dim-bulb TV hosts) descend on cast and crew, long-absent agents turn up, and company representatives arrive with suggestions for giving the film broader appeal. Of course, things don't quite turn out as this gaggle of sad sacks hope. Occasional throwaway lines and amusing bits of business prove that Guest and his team are still capable of sharp observation, but this parody (of a subject that is already a parody of itself) is disappointing, overall. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by co-writer/director Christopher Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy, 18 deleted/extended scenes (39 min.), a “Home for Purim” poster gallery, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so mockumentary.] (F. Swietek)