“Director Philippe Falardeau’s newest film imagines a situation in which Canada’s decision to go to war rests with one Northern Quebec MP.
“Patrick Huard (Starbuck) plays Steve Guibord, whose constituency office shares the same storefront address as a lingerie shop in his small hometown. He’s no country bumpkin – he expertly negotiates his way around Native roadblocks, upset truckers and other interest groups – but when Parliament becomes deadlocked on an international crisis, he feels out of his depth.
“Trying to help is Souverain, played by Irdens Exantus, a first-time actor with natural comedic timing. Souverain is an idealistic young Haitian intern with zero political experience but an eidetic memory of Rousseau’s Social Contract and other works. Though occasionally in awe of Canada’s political freedoms and vast size (equal to 60 Haitis – and that’s just Quebec!), he too is no dummy.
“If anyone comes off looking foolish in this clever political satire it’s the prime minster, a piano-playing conservative who likes to consult on matters of national interest and then do whatever he wants. “I call it listen and nod,” he tells Guibord with a grin.
“This is an excellently crafted comedy with just enough Canadian in-jokes to satisfy the locals without pandering. If our country’s cinema can be defined as funny when necessary but not necessarily funny, then Falardeau clearly found it to be necessary.” - Chris Knight, National Post
Printer-friendly version
