Wonderful character development!

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Beginning with "Waiting for Guffman" in 1996 (actually beginning as co-writer for the riotously funny "Spinal Tap" in 1984), filmmaker Christopher Guest has pretty much perfected the art with screamers like "Best in Show" (about a dog show) and "A Mighty Wind" (about a folk music spectacle), and strangely very few other filmmakers have followed suit. Well here, I'm happy to say, is a worthy addition to the shortlist of great mockumentaries.Craig Fergusen, best known for "The Drew Carey Show" and hosting "The Late Show", co-wrote and starred in this fun romp intended to celebrate Scottish pride in the very in- Scottish world of Hollywood glitz. He plays "Crawford Mackenzie", a flamboyant hair artiste who travels to L.A. for a celebrity hairstylist competition, but he soon ends up in a very bad hair day involving, but not limited to, dirty rival hairdressers, limo drivers of questionable character, drive-by shootings, snobby Hollywood promoters, snobby Hollywood hotel managers, snobby traffic cops, David Hasselhoff, hairdresser bureaucracies and basically every obstacle Hollywood can throw in the face of an aspiring artist.I have to say I'm not the biggest fan of Craig Fergusen, but I found this story to be so fun that I was able to put aside my Ferguphobia. It's a creative & funny premise, but what makes it brilliant is the way it mercilessly skewers the Hollywood "machine" for being the frustrating members-only-club that it is. And while such an undertaking could've easily turned cynical, "The Big Tease" manages to keep everything light-heartedly satirical and fun the whole way through. The comedy is pretty fast paced, and you might miss a few subtle gags upon first viewing; some quiet lines are so priceless you'll find yourself wanting to write them down. That's the mark of a well- written script.There's just one area where it fell short in my mind. This film has more than enough strength to stand as a straight mockumentary or reality show. But they decided to add occasional scenes of the character Crawford narrating the story. Seemingly done in post production, he sits on a staged set talking to the camera. To me, this was the one flaw of the movie because it upstages the documentarian by adding 2nd character who is now communicating directly with the audience, further breaking down that 4th wall. Although some of these scenes feature hilarious material, I felt like they interrupted the rhythm of this brisk comedy.That's really a very minor criticism, and it probably won't even bother you. Like I said, "The Big Tease" deserves its place of honor along the other rare but hilarious mockumentaries "Spinal Tap", "Waiting for Guffman", "Best in Show", "A Mighty Wind" (all by Christopher Guest), the obscure but riotously funny "Sons of Provo" (about a Mormon boy band composed of aging men) and the totally obscure but absolutely brilliant Aussie flick "Razzle Dazzle" (about a misfit team of young girls in a national dance competition). See them all, and write to your Senators: the world needs more mockumentaries!

THE BIG TEASE (2000) ** Craig Ferguson, Frances Fisher, Mary McCormack, David Rasche, Chris Langham, Donal Logue, Larry Miller, Jay Thomas. (Cameos: Veronica Webb, Drew Carey, David Hasselhoff, Cathy Lee Crosby, Bruce Jenner)Blame it on `This Is Spinal Tap' for the unindation of the `mockumentary', the hybrid of comedy and documentary unto its own genre, for the latest attempt of poking fun with deadpan serious masking with the occasionally humorous `The Big Tease'.Crawford Mackenzie (Craig Ferguson, best known as the unctuous British boss on tv's `The Drew Carey Show', who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sacha Gervasi) has more moxie than anyone would expect from a somewhat flamboyant Scottish hairdresser who finds himself the subject of a BBC documentary filmmaker (Langham who gives the air of deadpan a new definition) and is invited by the industry's high echelon the World International Hairdressing Federation (aka WHIF) to Los Angeles for the annual World Freestyle Hairdressing Championship. In his own charming way Crawford embarks to Lotus Land thinking he's to represent Glasgow as a competitor but is soon informed by WHIF's oraganizer Monique Geingold (McCormack, who has the uncanny knack in being a real phony with comic aplomb) he was invited to be in the audience. Not taking no for an answer the indefatigable Scotsman attempts to get his HAG card (that's Hairdressers of America Guild) by any means necessary even resorting to his competition, the pompous ass Nordic god of the salon set, Stig Ludwiggssen (Rasche, a good sport hooligan in a ridiculous hair extensioned wig), who dismisses him like a knot in one's hair.Adding some gumption and support to Mackenzie's starry-eyed quest is high powered Hollywood publicist Candy Harper (the wonderfully tart and no bull Fisher) who takes him under her wing after his attempt to get Sean Connery's phone number from her (he once helped the fellow Scot during a windy mishap with his toupee during a Benny Hill Pro/Am Golf outing) and instead gives her a sparkling makeover.. Ferguson - who is so good as the devilishly naughty Mr. Wick on the `Carrey' program - at least gives the impression of having a good time onscreen (and it shows) which seems to bounce off nicely from his assembled cast including veteran stand up comic Miller as a recovering alcoholic manager of a posh Beverly Hills hotel (`I've been clean and sober for five.days'), McCormack - best known as Howard Stern's long-suffering wife in `Private Parts' - is a charming bitch with not one honest bone in her well manicured body, and Logue as a player wanna be limo driver is memorable.Funny in its execution but gradually losing its bearing in the climactic `hair off' - for a lack of a better term - the film's concept seems one note and often has the unkindly air of flop sweat with its too lingering shots on the desperate hair stylist in his dream becoming a nightmare.

The documentary filmmaker Martin Samuels joins Scottish hairdresser Crawford Mackenzie as he sets out for LA to take part in the Platinum Scissors Hairdressing competition. On arrival he runs up a large hotel bill before discovering that his `invitation' is not to compete but to attend in the audience. Out of his hotel and out of money, Crawford tries to get into the competition and wins over the trend setters of Beverly Hills and, with a little bit of luck and deceit tries to work his way into the contestI had never heard of this film prior to it's TV premier in the UK, I imagine it's the same with a lot of people – it's a British comedy but it never managed to get the same high profile as more notable successes. However this is not to take from this film as it is pretty funny and gently amusing. The plot is nonsense but I think that is the point – it's is increasingly absurd – just like the actual competition and Hollywood lifestyle that Crawford finds himself thrust into. The comedy is rarely hilarious but it is consistently funny nonetheless – being more amusing than rip-roaring. The sheer wit and energy of the film manages to carry it over the odd dry spell.Ferguson is suitably flaming as Crawford and is sweetly naïve for the most part. Langham is very dry as Samuels and I wanted him to have more screen time than he did – many other mock-documentaries have successfully made much better use of the dry humour of the interviewer. The support cast are good on the whole and don't mind making fun of themselves. Rasche is good as the two-faced Stig. While comedy cameos from Drew Carey and David Hasselhoff work well. Miller is always value for money and is good in his brief scene.Overall this is a nice short little comedy that is lively and absurd. It is rarely hilarious but you'll watch it with a consistent smile on your face. Perfect if you're in a silly mood and looking for something with a bit of fizz.

There's something indefinable about this movie that I adore... I don't know whether it's the superb performances by Ferguson and Langham, or the great script, or the wonderful camoes (Larry Miller is a genius)...Whatever it is, this is a great movie - one of those movies that you want to watch over and over. Why isn't Craig Ferguson a bigger star? Just comparing his role in this movie with his "Mr Wick" character on the Drew Carey show proves that he's one of the most versatile and engaging actors around.