"Waiting for Guffman" is a 1996 American mockumentary comedy film directed by Christopher Guest and written by Guest and Eugene Levy. The film's ensemble cast includes Guest, Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Fred Willard, and Parker Posey. The movie is about a small town's annual play, which, this particular year, would be celebrating the town's 150th anniversary. Normally a smaller affair, the director, Corky St. Clair (played by Guest), has decided to invite an eminent theater critic to review the play in the hopes that it goes to Broadway.
The film had a basic script but was largely improvised by the three main actors. Their goal was to make the characters as well-rounded as possible and make sure that they could answer even the most basic questions from that character's standpoint. Waiting for Guffman received a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 55 reviews, with an average rating of 7.80/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "This riotously deadpan mockumentary about aspiring community theater performers never stoops to ridicule oft-ridiculous characters." The film also received a score of 71 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews"
One of the subtle jokes in the film is the mention of Corky's wife. Throughout the film, some of the other actors mention that they have heard he has a wife, but have never met/seen her. This proves to be a solid joke, as Guest portrays Corky as incredibly flamboyant, and the audience is left to wonder whether Corky really even has a wife, or if she is just a product of his imagination.
Overall, "Waiting for Guffman" is a film about doing what you love and doing it regardless of accolades, fame, or even talent. The cast obviously enjoyed rehearsing for and performing Red, White, and Blaine; they only felt disappointed when they learned that Guffman was never there. The film is not mocking anyone, but rather, it is a window into the private and public joys of people who never quite grew up. And these people are willing to take risks and look foolish for the sake of their dreams.
Cast
- Christopher Guest as Corky St. Clair
- Eugene Levy as Dr. Allan Pearl
- Fred Willard as Ron Albertson
- Catherine O'Hara as Sheila Albertson
- Parker Posey as Libby Mae Brown
Other notable cast members include:
- Bob Balaban as Lloyd Miller
- Michael Hitchcock as Steve Stark
- Larry Miller as Glenn Welsch
- Don Lake as Clifford Wooley
- Deborah Theaker as Mrs. Allan Pearl
Director: Christopher Guest
Writer: Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
Box Office Gross: $2.9M
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Genre: Comedy
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 31, 1996
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 3, 2014