It has been a decade since pioneering mockumentary filmmaker Christopher Guest delivered his last feature length work, the unfortunately underwhelming “For Your Consideration.” And in that time, Guest has seen the comedic format he perfected nearly from the start catch on like wildfire. It’s hard to imagine the oeuvre of Sacha Baron Cohen or shows like both the U.K. and U.S. versions of “The Office,” “Parks & Recreation,” and “Modern Family” without Guest laying the groundwork. However, the writer/director/performer, across films like “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Waiting For Guffman,” “Best In Show,” and “A Mighty Wind,” has set the bar so high for himself and others, you can’t fault his new film “Mascots” for failing to rank among those benchmarks. However, it is nonetheless an enjoyable return to the movies for Guest that should easily please his longtime fans.
Once again, Guest finds a new subculture to explore, and this time around it’s the world of small-time mascots. Centering around the World Mascot Association’s Gold Fluffy Award competition, “Mascots” is formatted similarly to Guest’s other films, following an ensemble of characters before, during and after the main event. And just like his preceding pictures, the journey offers viewers a window in the small time dreams of the players which becomes their whole world, and leaves them changed by time the credits roll. Certainly, Guest isn’t fixing what isn’t broke, but after so long between movies, and with many more people tackling the style, it does leave “Mascots” at times feeling a bit overfamiliar.
However, working in the film’s favor is not only the subject matter, but the new batch of terrifically eccentric characters, conjured by Guest’s usual coterie (Jane Lynch, Fred Willard, Ed Begley Jr., Jennifer Coolidge, Bob Balaban, Parker Posey, John Michael Higgins) along with new faces (Zach Woods, Tom Bennett, Brad Williams) who certainly hold their own with the veterans. And as per usual, there are a number of memorable creations, including: Posey’s modern dance enthusiast Cindi Robicheaux; Bennett (who also shone in “Love & Friendship” this year) as Owen Golly Jr. who is trying to shoulder the family tradition of mascoting while putting his own spin on it; and Zach Woods and Sarah Baker’s married mascot team, who are contending with no shortage of marital issues. Surrounding them are some equally winning characters like: Jane Lynch’s egomaniacal retired mascot, Fluffys judge, and author of “A Moose-ing Grace: A Mascot’s Journey to God”; Fred Willard’s looney mascot manager; and Ed Begley’s Jr.’s phallically challenged A.J. Blumquist.
Not every character is as interesting as the next, and one or two could’ve been dropped to spend more time with the others (particularly the actresses, Posey, Coolidge, and Lynch who are terrific), but the loosely stitched together, breezy movie easily hangs on everyone’s charms regardless. But where the movie stalls is curiously during its climax, when the plot turns its attention to the competition. The sequence is overlong, or certainly feels that way give that most of the choreographed performances aren’t particularly funny, and with the characters covered up in costume, it winds up muting their spirit and the fizzy vibe of the film. It’s a rough patch that “Mascots” eventually gets over, but it’s a rare miscalculation in general from Guest.
However, most surprising is the film’s lacking technical quality. While Guest’s previous films could never have been called cinematic, there was enough attention to form that they never felt slight. But “Mascots,” which most audiences will see on Netflix (and one wonders how much that informed the craft), suffers from bland construction, and lackluster visuals, with some episodes of the half-hour sitcoms Guest inspired feeling more ambitious in their approach. Meanwhile, the editing sometimes tips from loose to barely holding together, leaving an impression that there was a lot left on the cutting room floor.
What remains, however, is still pure Guest, as warm and inviting as ever. The care with which he treats these characters — as silly or obnoxious or misguided as they might act — continues to be what separates his work from everyone else. The characters themselves are never the punchline, but what they say and do that delivers the laughs, and it’s a key distinction that makes Guest’s work endure. How “Mascots” will resonate in the years ahead remains to be seen, and sometimes his work gets better with age, but for now, it’s a minor key delight. [B]
This is a reprint of our review from the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.