CHRISTOPHER GUEST HAS EXPANDED HIS REPERTORY COMPANY OF PLAYERS AND UTILISED AN OBVIOUSLY LARGER BUDGET IN THIS SATIRE ABOUT THE SUPERFICIALITY OF HOLLYWOOD AWARDS FEVER.

If you consider writer/director/actor Guest’s unique improvisation-based comedic vision one of the most consistently inspired in American cinema, then you’ll have a ball with ‘For Your Consideration’. This affectionately barbed lampoon of Hollywood’s awards season (Guest’s second pop at La-La Land, after his underrated directorial debut, ‘The Big Picture’) differs slightly from the template firmly established by the film-maker in gems like ‘Waiting for Guffman’, ‘Best in Show’ and ‘A Mighty Wind’. He has finally abandoned the ‘mockumentary’ format, but otherwise it’s (show) business as usual. When earnest indie picture ‘Home for Purim’ generates unlikely Oscar buzz, its trio of stars (Catherine O’Hara, Parker Posey and Harry Shearer, the latter a Guest compadre since their Spinal Tap days) slowly but surely succumb to the hype and madness that inevitably ensues. For aging almost-ran Marilyn Hack (O’Hara), it’s a final, desperate shot at the stardom that always eluded her.

The fun for Guest worshippers always comes in anticipating what roles his ever-expanding ensemble of regular players will land this time out, be it reliable co-collaborator Eugene Levy (as an inept agent), the pneumatic Jennifer Coolidge (spaced-out producer) or the incomparable Fred Willard as the ultimate in inane TV hosts. The real showstopper, however, is Catherine O’Hara’s deluded Marilyn, who brings a note of unexpected—albeit hilarious—poignancy to the proceedings. Do keep an eye out for David Brent himself, Ricky Gervais, exuding smarm as a devious studio head.—Derek O’Connor.