SummaryA town of Blaine, Missouri is preparing for celebrations of its 150th anniversary. Corky St.Clair, an off-off-off-off-off-Broadway director is putting together an amateur theater show about the town's history, starring a local dentist, a couple of travel agents, a Dairy Queen waitress, and a car repairman. He invites a Broadway theater critic Mr.... Read More
Directed By:Christopher Guest
Written By:Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
Waiting for Guffman
Metascore
Generally Favorable
72
User score
Generally Favorable
7.4
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
79% Positive
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
16% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
5% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
100
A madcap gem.
88
The nonstop amusing mockumentary Waiting for Guffman does to small-town acting troupes what "This Is Spinal Tap did to heavy-metal bands."
User score
Generally Favorable
83% Positive
20 Ratings
20 Ratings
13% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
4% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Dec 27, 2024
10
If you love community theater, this film is a delight. If you don't, just skip it.
Jan 31, 2026
8
"Waiting for Guffman" is a savvy satire of smalltown boosterism and an affectionate salute to the performing spirit.
80
A sly and gleeful comedy showcase that pokes clever fun at the American musical, amateur theatricals and anything else that's not nailed down.
75
Guest's boldest move is to present the revue in its entirety. It's as if Mel Brooks had shown the complete "Springtime for Hitler,'' the play within his 1968 movie, "The Producers.''
75
The movie doesn't bludgeon us with gags. It proceeds with a certain comic relentlessness from setup to payoff, and its deliberation is part of the fun.
50
The enterprise comes across like a bunch of talented friends making an elaborate home movie for their own amusement.
30
May be amusing if you feel a pressing need to feel superior to somebody, but the aim is too broad and scattershot to add up to much beyond an acknowledgment of small-town desperation--something Sherwood Anderson and Sinclair Lewis did much better back in the 20s and 30s.
Jun 19, 2022
8
Some delightful bits and comedy in this one, chock full of film/theater reference. A wonderful cast where every character gets their shine and chances to be funny.
Mar 14, 2014
7
Featuring that lovable mockumentary style and landmark dry humor that made Christopher Guest famous, "Waiting For Guffman" is a ridiculously entertaining and supremely satirical piece of filmmaking.
Production Company:
- Castle Rock Entertainment
- Pale Morning Dun
- All Night Productions
- Sony Pictures Classics
Release Date:Jan 31, 1997
Duration:1 h 24 m
Rating:R
Tagline:There's A Good Reason Some Talent Remains Undiscovered
Awards
Film Independent Spirit Awards
• 3 Nominations
Lone Star Film & Television Awards
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
