Response Paper #3: Invisible Third Option (but w/ some Option One)

                         What’s definitely on my “top ten things that make me supremely happy list?” Of course the answer is my dog Andy. Andy is eight pounds of pure unconditional love and I can’t really seem to remember life before he came into mine. He’s a dog who doesn’t quite know that he’s a dog and secretly, I think he’s smarter than we give him credit for. I am pretty certain that I enjoyed Best In Show, not just because it was a hilarious movie, but because I too am a dog owner. Best In Show was so laugh out loud hilarious particularly because it expertly showcased America’s love and maybe even unhealthy obsession with their pooches.  Through the time leading up to a dog show, we learn about how canines have almost replaced children in the sense that now it is they that represent your image and reputation. Do we compete just for the challenge? Of course not! We compete to win! Does winning breed happiness though? Best In Show provides a surprising answer.
                         What most of us fail to see when we enter a competition of any sort is that despite the outcome, we will be ok. Sure, we hate to lose, but we seem to have trouble remembering that we have lost before but we’ve managed to come out of it unscathed (hopefully). This is true in Best In Show where we follow the owners of six dogs as they spend countless hours, time and money grooming and preparing their canine companions. As the show date draws near, the pressure mounts and it literally consumes their whole lives. While watching, I was sure that the losers would be miserable for the rest of the film but quite the opposite happens. Not surprisingly, they move on! The bickering couple regain their relationship, a ventriloquist follows his dream and even the winners move on to bigger and better things. I think what the film is trying to tell the audience is that we cannot base our happiness on winning because otherwise it would be so fleeting and not even be genuine. We have to learn that despite the failures, there is still a lot you can do and you should remain positive.
                            It was especially funny how quirky the characters were. I’m a firm believer that a dog’s personality is analogous to its owner and that you can learn a lot about the person from the pet and vice versa. This couldn’t be more true in Best In Show. The neurotic couple Meg and Hamilton Swan rage at the drop of a hat and this is quite evident in their Weimaraner’s quick-to-bite demeanor. Country guy Harlan Pepper is perfectly represented through his easy going, kind of slow moving Bloodhound, Hubert. Perhaps the reason why they’ve been dubbed “man’s best friend” is that dogs are indeed so moldable and learn to adapt to your personality.
                        After the film I just wanted to rush home and give Andy a big hug. I could gush about him all day long but when it comes down to it, my dog makes me utterly happy because he gives me his heart without wanting much in return. It may sound selfish, but sometimes you just want someone who loves you, blind to your faults, who’ll always be waiting by the door when you come in.