Life often tends to be filled with despair, heartbreak and melancholy. Thankfully, we have Christopher Guest to lighten the load somewhat. His films are, without question, some of the most entertaining ever made, and his trio of masterworks – Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind are all incredible achievements and stand as some of comedy’s most audacious projects. One of his projects that is far less loved is For Your Consideration, a film that most will admit doesn’t quite reach the impossible standards set by his previous films. However, it does hold a special place for me, because while it may feature the abundance of laughs or the unhinged chaotic brilliance of Guest’s earlier works, it is still an entertaining, and often extremely potent, showbusiness satire that never takes itself too seriously (Guest never does) and manages to be actually quite inert when it hits – the problem is it doesn’t strike with the same regularity as his masterpieces, which makes For Your Consideration and extremely funny, but also unfortunately flawed, film.

Set in Hollywood, For Your Consideration follows the cast and crew of a small independent drama entitled Home for Purim, a World War  II-era family saga about a Jewish family celebrating a holy day, and the arrival of their prodigal daughter, who returns in tow with a very unconventional lover. The stars of the film include faded ingenue Marilyn Hack (Catherine O’Hara), who had a breakthrough moment in the 1980s with her performance as a blind prostitute in a television film, and has subsequently faded into obscurity, Victor Allen Miller (Harry Shearer), a revered stage actor who has been reduced to playing a giant hotdog in a series of commercials, and Callie Webb (Parker Posey), a passionate young actress who is hoping to have her mainstream moment with this film. When word gets out that there is some buzz for the trio in regards to their performances, that could potentially end up manifesting in Academy Award nominations, they try to focus on the work, all the while trying to deal with the very real possibility that they will be recognized for their efforts, after years of hard work. Could this be their moment to shine, or will they fade back into obscurity?

Christopher Guest is a director who perpetually has his hand on the cultural pulse, and whether it be in the world of amateur theatre, dog pageants or folk music, he’s able to tap into the zeitgeist and construct unconventional stories populated by a variety of oddballs. For Your Consideration is not much different, and in many ways it retains many of the same qualities as his previous films, while still being a departure from them, featuring some minor changes that distinguish this from other works. Of course, this is also his most conventional film, insofar as it may appear to somewhat personal (even if it isn’t close to being autobiographical), because it is about the film industry, with Guest playing the director character in the film, and occupying the same position for For Your Consideration as a whole – one can only hope he was far more competent than his fictional counterpart in the film. The most significant merit of For Your Consideration is that it doesn’t take the approach of other showbusiness satires that often, even at their most self-deprecating, avoid this kind of awareness of themselves. I can’t recall many films that focus so much on the concept of awards like this one – how can a gold statue be the standard towards which everyone aspires? Is it simply a marker of achievement, or is it the only way to earn admiration and validation for one’s work? For Your Consideration is not a particularly complex film, but it does expose some of the hypocrisy of the film industry that is always sardonic and extremely biting, but also never entirely mean-spirited, retaining much of the same good humour that has made Guest’s previous films so endearing.

Like most of his films, Guest relies on an ensemble of regular collaborators to form the cast of For Your Consideration. The main roles are played by three of his greatest colleagues, Harry Shearer, Parker Posey and Catherine O’Hara, all of which have their most substantial work with Guest occurring here. Shearer is just a national treasure, such an effortlessly hilarious performer who gives everything to his work, regardless of the quality. A tenacious actor by trade, Shearer is consistent in everything he does, and For Your Consideration is not an exception. Playing Victor Allen Miller, the stage actor-turned-commercial hotdog who is finally having his breakthrough as an actor decades later is one that may not be as exuberant as others in this film, but it is pivotal to the story, and more often than not wonderfully-composed, with much of the heart of this film coming on behalf of Shearer. Victor is the character with both the greatest amount to prove, and the most to lose, and during the climax of this film, it is Shearer who quietly breaks our hearts as he sits in contemplation, waiting for his telephone to ring to bring him the good news and a career revitalization. Catherine O’Hara is perhaps the most memorable aspect of For Your Consideration, and for good reason: she’s astonishing in this film. It is rare to find such a self-aware, honest portrayal of a character like Marilyn Hack, and whether it is in the subtle moments of thoughtfulness, or in her more bombastic, excessive exuberance, O’Hara is just incredible. For Your Consideration gives her the most to do out of any of her collaborations with Guest, and it is hardly surprising that life imitated art for the actress, who found herself at the receiving end of some considerable buzz for this performance, only to face the same fate as her fictional counterpart in going entirely unrecognized – thankfully the fallout from her snub was far less existent than Marilyn’s. For Your Consideration has great performances from all of Guest’s regulars, regardless of how much time they were on screen. Perhaps what is most endearing about Guest’s films is that they have the atmosphere not of sole professionalism, but also of a cinematic family, where a group of gifted performers can come together and cause communal comedic chaos.

I’ve been following the Academy Awards as long as I can remember, so For Your Consideration was always a film that struck a chord with me, and it is regular viewing around this time of year. Of course, any self-respecting film-lover knows that as exciting as awards season can be, for every film recognized, there are a dozen others that go completely ignored, so while it is a charming diversion, they’re not the barometer upon which artistic quality should be measured. However, its also quite an experience to win something like an Oscar – and this is where For Your Consideration is aiming primarily. Guest is a director who has yet to have any success with mainstream awards shows (not that he’s ever put much effort into it, if we’re being honest – there is a winning formula that goes into generating buzz for a film, and Guest often deftly defies it, almost intentionally it would seem), but his awareness of it is quite keen. Of course, in the age of precursors and regional critics awards, For Your Consideration is somewhat implausible, as anyone following awards season will tell you. However, this doesn’t stop For Your Consideration from being an inert satire that liberally pokes fun at the entire mentality around winning an award. The inauthentic humility – how many people who repeat the taut retort “its an honour just to be nominated” actually believe it? -, the abundance of insecurities faced when a performer earns the buzz to qualify for a nomination, and the eventual crushing disappointment that comes with failure, as if not being included on a list of five is somewhat indicative of someone’s worth. Guest doesn’t offer much sympathy, but he does portray this long, arduous process that all too often celebrates the select few who go all the way, with those that don’t constantly being left by the wayside.

For Your Consideration is certainly not a bad film – the problem is that it is just weaker than most of Guest’s more remarkable efforts. With this film, no one seems to be offering anything particularly special, with everyone certainly being very endearing and as hilariously charming as they come, but there isn’t too much below the surface, and it often does lack the same heartfulness that defined Guest’s films – there isn’t a singular triumphant moment such as the final performance in Waiting for Guffman, or the group rendition of the titular song in A Mighty Wind. It does end up being quite sterile, and while there are sporadic moments that may touch the audience, the film as a whole just pales in comparison to the director’s other work (but it is certainly not his worst by any means). It just lacks a certain finesse that would’ve taken this further than it actually was willing to go. However, for what its worth, For Your Consideration is an entertaining film, a potent Hollywood satire and an insightful look into the world of awards season, and with some terrific performances and a great sense of irony, it is a diverting, charming little film that proves what a comedic master Christopher Guest and his ragtag group of comedic collaborators are, and the magic that can transpire when they work together. There’s nothing quite as warm and enjoyable as a Christopher Guest film, and even at their weakest, they’re still extremely special.