By Mark Burger
Winston-Salem Journal Arts Reporter

This page is hosted by JournalNow.com, Web site of the Winston-Salem Journal. This story was originally published Friday, May 09, 2003.

Although he dislikes the term, Christopher Guest has proven himself the master of the "mockumentary." A Mighty Wind, his latest film, carries on the affectionately observant comedic tradition of Waiting for Guffman (1996) and Best in Show (2000).

As in This Is Spinal Tap (1983) - which Guest co-wrote and Rob Reiner directed - A Mighty Wind takes place within an entirely fictional show-biz environment. Instead of heavy-metal music, Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy take aim at the folk-music movement - and they hit the mark repeatedly. This is easily the funniest movie of the year so far and yet another triumph for Guest.

The film, which was shown during the RiverRun International Film Festival, depicts the events leading up to a hastily assembled folk-music concert, designed to pay homage to a late, legendary concert promoter.

His ferociously uptight son (a perfectly cast Bob Balaban) manages to secure the services of such acts as the Folksmen (the Spinal Tap trio of Guest, Michael Mc- Kean and Harry Shearer), the New Main Street Singers (whose members include Parker Posey and Paul Dooley) and the legendary duo of Mitch and Mickey (Levy and Catherine O'Hara), whose career evaporated along with their relationship as the darlings of '60s folk music.

As in the earlier films, the characters' quirks and neuroses come to the fore - particularly as the concert draws near. But Guest treats his characters with a bemused affection, rather than with derision or scorn. One tends to identify or sympathize with them as much as laugh at their foibles.

And the fact that Guest has again elicited such strong performances from his cast - many of whom he has worked with before - further sweetens the mix. The inspired tone of the film is largely due to Guest's penchant for allowing the players to improvise and bounce ideas off one another.

O'Hara and Levy, both veterans of the classic SCTV comedy series, are in particularly good form here, with Levy unexpectedly moving as the emotionally addled Mitch.

Fred Willard, playing the quintessential two-bit agent, enters the pantheon of legend with his unbelievably funny turn here. "Wha' happened?"

Guest's penchant for verisimilitude is another important component to the film's overall success, as the folk songs in A Mighty Wind come very close to the real thing. The film's rousing finale, capped by the title tune, is the proverbial cherry on top. A Mighty Wind is a mighty comedy.

• Mark Burger can be reached at 727-7370 or at mburger@wsjournal.com