By Guest Parker Posey Lover, Alan Trehern

In a time when movies are actually formulaic when it comes to award season, it's funny to see a mocking look at the whole process. Whether this is a true and legit window into the business, or an exaggerated parody of celebrities, producers, ad men and the tabloids, For Your Consideration is a hilarious trip into the fictional production story of Home for Purim (a movie within a movie...BRAAHHHHMMMMM!!!!!).

For Your Consideration (2006)
Directed by Christopher Guest
Starring Catherine O'Hara, Ed Begley Jr., Eugene Levy, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, Parker Posey and Fred Willard
"The internet is the one with the e-mail, right?"

"Yes."

"I'm on it!"

Every member of the cast in this movie has the extreme dry humor and the respect and attention to the script that no one actor/actress fails in their portrayal. Even the small cameos that appear throughout the film don't feel like cameos; just added life to an already enjoyable film. The plot is easy to follow, and although there are numerous characters to take account of, you never really feel lost. The ending of the movie (as usual recently) is a bit of a letdown; not because of what happens, but because I didn't get enough time with the characters to appreciate the ending. That means only one thing...a sequel is needed, Mr. Guest!
Story
The plot of the movie revolves around this indie film called Home for Purim. The writers are two playwrights trying to convert a stageplay to film. Meanwhile, an inept and rich producer messes with the advertisements for the film while the bottom-of-the-barrel actors in the film are all buzzing about who will get a Oscar nod.

The mediocrity of Home for Purim makes it all the better; a crappy, small film being built up by producers, commercials, "the Academy" and fake Entertainment Tonight shows. Eventually, the "business" surrounding Purim ends up corrupting some characters, ruining others, and changing their outlooks on life. At different points in the film, one almost see the actors in Consideration wink at the camera saying, "Yep, this is how it really is out here."
Having said that, as an audience member, you start to feel that this exaggerated portrayal of the movie-business may border on realistic. Someone signs up to produce a movie based on a script (sometimes there aren't scripts, just ideas, or a board game), the actors get cast, they start filming, re-writes, more filming, post-production, back for re-shoots, more re-writes, the title changes...you get the idea. Movies are changed all the time to fit an ever-growing need to make money, hit the right audience and pander to the mythical Academy...Aren't they just manatees in a aquarium tank grabbing names from a hat, anyway? **hears door creak in the darkness**

The writing in this film is just so laid back and easily digestible that it's actually a selling point. From what I gandered from viewing, writers Guest and Levy's main goal was just to mock the whole movie business. No secret messages, no jabs at any specific actors or films, just a commentary on the business, the institutions and the hub-bub of how movies/actors are seen and critiqued during award season.

Although falling great into the mockumentary family of films that have come from Christopher Guest and his "usual suspects" acting troupe (i.e. A Mighty Wind, Best in Show), For Your Consideration shoots like a normal film, not a documentary.
Final Thoughts
Best part about this movie? Parker Posey. Ugh, she's so awesome. Too bad I wasn't born in the 1960s and had lots of money to hang out with movie stars. Could of totally married her. Oh, well. Found a picture of her and Triple H in Blade: Trinity. That was pretty cool...