Crime/Comedy
Bilingual (French and English) with English subtitles
BACKGROUND
The plot involves people and events associated with Canada’s national game, hockey. As such it is good to keep in mind the following:
Peter Pocklington is a Canadian business man who made his fortune in the meat packing industry. He is the former owner of the National Hockey League team Edmonton Oilers.
Wayne Gretzky, nicknamed "The Great One," is described in The Official Encyclopedia of the NHL as "the greatest hockey player of all time.” He played for the Edmonton Oilers and wore #99 on his jersey.
In what became known as “The Trade”, Pocklington traded Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. This upset Canadians to the extent that a member of Parliament demanded the government block it. To many hockey fans, Pocklington became the most-hated man in the NHL, if not in all of Canada. Pocklington was burned in effigy in many parts of the country.
Gary Bettman has served as Commissioner of the NHL since February 1993. He has come under heavy criticism from many Canadian hockey fans for his attempts to increasingly Americanize the NHL and has the reputation of being anti-Canadian. A diminutive man, this has also been a subject of derision.
Don Cherry is a hockey commentator for CBC Television and co-hosts the "Coach's Corner" intermission segment on the long running sports program Hockey Night in Canada. Known for his outspoken, opioniated comments he is not well liked by everyone.
PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Patrick Huard: Quebec Provincial Police Detective David Bouchard
Lucie Laurier: his ex-wife Suzie
Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse: their 15-year-old daughter Gabrielle
Colm Feore: Ontario Provincial Police Detective Martin Ward
Sarian Boylan: his sister Iris
Rick Mercer: Tom Berry, bombastic hockey television commentator
Peter Pickleton, owner of a hockey team
Harry Buttman, Hockey League Commissioner
REVIEW
To quote the official website “a feature film where the cultural differences of our country are at the heart of the story. It is a film where Anglophones speak French, where Francophones speak English and, in perfectly Canadian fashion, nobody can understand one another.”
They could have also added “nobody can understand the plot.” It’s all rather confusing but perhaps not all that important since clearly there are good guys and bad guys at odds with one another. Lots of clever lines and some outright chuckles as they poke fun at the stereotypical English and French Canadians.
A couple of scenes are a little too graphic and several jokes may be offensive to some.
CLASSIFICATION
for some sexuality and violence.FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
When Tom Berry is interviewing the two detectives, he starts out with his tie nicely centered but part way through it’s off to the side.
P.S.
Tête carrée: literal translation square head. Historically viewed as derogatory term for an Anglophone (an English speaker in the province of Quebec), nowadays often used in a humourous manner.
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