A Mighty Wind

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

This is easily my least favorite of the Christopher Guest mockumentaries, although it's still a funny movie. I think the main problem with it is that it's overcrowded. There's too many characters fighting for screen time, and as a result few of them manage to make much of an impression. Most of them show up, say something funny and then aren't really seen again. It's like Guest and Levy wanted to cram in every actor they had ever worked with into one movie, regardless of whether or not there was any room for them. The result is that a lot of the supposedly major characters don't really register, and a lot of the best moments go to actors in cameos who have one scene and aren't heard from again. I think part of the reason that Spinal Tap and Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show are so great is that they set up a small group of memorable, distinct characters and give them time to develop. A Mighty Wind needs to either have 10 fewer characters, or be a half hour longer.

And my other problem with A Mighty Wind is Catherine O'Hara. Not because she's bad. Quite the opposite, she's too good in it. She's so good in the role that she's not funny, and it becomes a successful dramatic performance. She sticks out like a sore thumb in the movie, and brings a lot of the comedy to a halt. It's especially jarring how much she contrasts with Eugene Levy's over-the-top (and not as funny as he and Guest seem to think it is) performance. The payoff for their characters is genuinely touching... but what the hell is a genuinely touching moment doing in this film any way?

It seems like Guest is in a downslide now. This one is good but not great, and For Your Consideration was incredibly underwhelming. So fingers crossed he can recreate the magic next time.