The question of happiness in “Best in Show” is ever present in the underlying theme. Are the characters happy as they are? Are they happier at the end? What does the transition do for them?
This film is all about the individuality of happiness. I think that the purpose is to underscore how some believe themselves to be happy but require a process of improvement, and how others are happy as they are and that the process simply makes them more so. The film is not trying to tell us that we are all unhappy or that we need a revelation to make us more happy. Rather, it is our perception of our own happiness and of objective happiness which it is trying to hone.
An interesting example of this was the couple form Illinois who were having therapy with their dog. They thought themselves to be perfectly happy. They did reasonably well for themselves and lived a nice lifestyle. They considered themselves happy because they fit the societal standard of happiness: their gourmet coffee, apple computers, designer clothing etc. We discover that they are really not happy at all. They project their personal issues onto their dog as a way of denying that they are in need of change. But even through the process of the show and realizing their mistakes, they never fully appreciate their wrong approach and subsequently end up artificially happy again. Their situation is no more improved because they see their dog as a vessel for their state.
The character from North Carolina, the winner of the contest, is another fascinating case of happiness. He seems to be relatively content with his life to start with. He may not lead the quintessential lifestyle of a happy American, but he most certainly is a happy fellow. He holds an inherently positive relationship with his dog, not one which is based on wining. And when he does not win the championship, he finds another way to improve his life.
I think that the most interesting example of happiness in the film was with the couple from Florida. Their dynamic is certainly one of a happy couple, but with many issues and concerns. The husband is jealous of his wife and they have problems with money, but they essentially love each other and are happy together. However, they certainly needed an intervention in order to make their happiness more productive and conducive to their environment. This is where winning the championship came in to play: it served as a basis for propelling them past their issues and forward into a better life where they were able to fulfill their potential.
The different stories in the film illustrate that happiness is different for different people and that the same events may not change everyone in their happiness. It illustrates the importance of recognizing inherent problems and focusing on essential issues of happiness, not just the apparent because the apparent is different for all of us. What is not different for all of us however, is the need to recognize our own situation for what it is and figuring out a way of working with it.
-Sol
