West of 22 Reflections

Film Review
Name of Film:	Canadian Bacon
Release date/year:	1995
Reviewed by:	West of 22
Date of review:	Feb 24 2025
Producer:	Michael Moore
Director:	Michael Moore
Genre:	Comedy

Canada VS USA

The ultimate stand off!!  For years Canada VS USA has meant the ultimate hockey challenge!

What happens during a hockey game?

Fans decked out in their team colours; beer cup snakes are created and slither their way across the crowd; jeering at the opposing team; fights in the stands….wait shouldn’t that be on the ice?

Cut to the classic arena – the hockey game.

A USA fan, Buzz B Boomer (John Candy), criticizes Canadian beer and the game comes to a grinding halt. Then an all-out riot begins! 

Classic Canada VS USA.

This gives the US President (Alan Alda) the ammunition he needs to call foul and put Canada into penalty.  This icing advantage provides an opportunity for the U.S. President, low in the opinion polls, to be talked into raising his popularity by trying to start a cold war against Canada. The ensuing campaign of mis-information about Canada, enables USA to declare war, a cold war.

With everything going on politically, both international and local, the story resonates strongly today.   References that are relevant to today include:

o   Longest unprotected border

o   If you tell the people something long enough or in the right way they will believe it

o   Propaganda or opinions shared on the news – government controlled media       (“Mr. President, the American people will buy whatever we tell them to.”)

o   Power of corporations within governments               

o   How easy a war can begin

o   Patriotism (“It's time we put the "America" back in North America! “)

Presented in a satirical manner, the stereotypical perceptions of each nation make this heavy subject an easy watch.  The film picks on everyone involved, Canadian and American alike.

For every joke aimed at Canadians is aimed back at Americans. 

It attacks the stereotypes of both, highlighting their differences yet also attacking the misconceptions about both peoples.

The stereo types include:

Canada:

          Cold 11 months of the year

(“Think of your children pledging allegiance to the maple leaf. Mayonnaise on everything. Winter 11 months of the year. Anne Murray - all day, every day.”)

                No one locks their doors

Even graffiti must be in both official languages

Duddly Do-Right of the Mounties

Canada very clean –

 (“Roy Boy: Are you sure we're in Canada?  Honey: You smell anything?  Roy Boy: No.  Honey: Exactly. Canada!”)

And of USA:

Everyone carries a rifle/gun         

 (“ I'm your worst nightmare. I'm a citizen with a constitutional right to bear arms!”)

Know very little about Canada    

 (”Boomer: The capital, Toronto.  RCMP Officer at Headquarters: No, the capital of Canada is Ottawa.  Boomer: [laughing] Yeah, right. Do we look that stupid? Ottawa!”)

Issues that are dealt with:

                War – economic prosperity

(“Mr. President do you want more of that, or 50 years of Cold War prosperity because Joe Schmo American is scared shitless the world's gonna end before the next commercial.”)

What happens when main business in town is closed – mass layoffs

Relationship between Canada and USA

In many ways it’s very predictable, and many have reviewed saying it loses some drive but, but with everything going on in the world today there is enough story to keep you watching. The fact this was made 30 years ago does not make it any less relevant, it was shot in the fall of 1993.

Filmed mainly in Canada – even the White House was located in Oshawa Ontario – this just adds to the subtleties of the satire.

Big name talents include Alan Alda; John Candy (his last movie); Rhea Perlman; Kevin Pollak; Rip Torn with cameos from Dan Akroyd and Jim Belushi.  A true Canada vs USA cast!

So, who wins this classic standoff?  You will have to watch and see.        

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