Well, here’s a pretty your random movie curiosity of the day. Before she was the breakout movie star of “Bridesmaids,” and was probably best known for her role as Sookie St. James on “Gilmore Girls,” Melissa McCarthy starred in “Cook-Off!” The film debuted in 2007 at US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, CO to what must have been zero buzz, because the picture has been sitting on the shelf for a decade. Now, Lionsgate has scooped it up, done some editing, tossed in new footage and are bringing it out into the world. But the questions don’t there.
The credited director on the movie was originally was someone named Guy Shalem, whose IMDB page is pretty spotty. However, on the IMDB page for the film, Cathryn Michon is listed as the co-director, and her only other directorial credit is something called “Muffin Top: A Love Story.” Something tells me the story behind this comedy is more interesting the movie itself, which looks like a Christopher Guest-lite, spinning a mockumentary yarn set in the world of competitive baking. Here’s the official synopsis:
Reality-show shenanigans mix with the true-life fiery-and-fierce world of competitive baking in the deliciously sly mockumentary COOK-OFF! As a buffet of quirky contestants prepare for the renowned Van Rookle Farms Cooking Contest, the heat is on to win a one million-dollar prize. The filmmakers follow them as the foodie media and celebrity judges descend on a hotel convention area to see which contestants rise, which ones fall, who will reveal their true nature, and who will find love with the contest’s costumed Muffin Man mascot.
Also featuring Ben Falcone, Stephen Root, Diedrich Bader, Wendy McLendon-Covey, Gary Anthony Williams, and Sam Pancake, “Cook-Off!” opens on November 17th.
