Canadian Bacon (1995)

the audience applauded

Really Surprised!

A Major Disappointment

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

"Canadian Bacon", quite a shocker but not that bad. It's just weird seeing Michael Moore directing a feature film, a politically charged comedy with a stellar cast but distant from what we know he's capable of doing. He's a very opinionated guy, full of energy and with a great sense of humor, so it's frighteningly strange to see this small comedy, almost humorless despite the high caliber comedians starring in it. The premise is similarly absurd as the one from "The Mouse that Roared", but the humor and the criticism isn't repeated in here, it's lost somewhere. With the intention of boosting his popularity sky high after being considered a wimp leader who never declared any war, the U.S. president (Alan Alda) decides to declare war against Canada, believing they have secret weapons. Pressured by a failed businessman (G.D. Spradlin) whose weapons of mass destruction aren't selling anymore and he's needy of a conflict so he can sell it, the president's loyal adviser (Kevin Pollak) instigates him to attack the neighbor nation, encouraging him after a small misunderstand involving a hillbilly American sheriff (John Candy) who offended the Canadians by saying that they beer suck. Confusion formed, war declared and loads of jokes on the expense of both cultures. Canadians are presented as jolly, clean, acceptive of insults (except the one about the beer, which was considered atrocious), while Americans are presented as desperate for combat, with limited intelligence and as Canada haters. Where's the sagacity, the acid satire or the intelligence of this? Where's the masterful Moore in this, the one we get used to see while presenting facts to some, distorting them to others yet giving us a full shocking image of what's wrong with the world? Everything is reduced in being a simple-minded comedy, going for some cheap laughs, only getting some inspired moments when it makes cultural and film references, and some of the performances achieve the desired goal of causing us to laugh a little, and reflect about the part they're playing. Alda was the perfect toyed president, surrounded of intelligent and dangerous people who make things easier for him always telling what he must do. His part is what makes this movie more relevant now than when it was made in 1995. Moore was clearly foreseeing one of his favorite future targets, Bush Jr. The similarity of intent and actions are uncanny.This could be a gold material just like "Wag the Dog" or truthfully hilarious like "Bulworth". Instead it's just another forgettable movie. Among the good parts are the priceless cameo by Dan Aykroyd as an Canadian police officer who teaches sheriff Candy how things work in the country; the president quoting Bob Dylan minutes before almost getting blown up; Bill Nunn exposing why blacks are always put in second place, specially movie characters; the broadcast news anchor (Stanley Anderson) informing about the eminent war; Jim Belushi's cameo as a drunk reporter and Steven Wright's cameo. Kind of awkward when you realize the cameos were more effective than the main cast who besides Candy (sadly his last role and one of the most unfunny he ever made), Alda, Pollak, also have Rip Torn, Rhea Perlman, Kevin J. O'Connor, Wallace Shawn (cameo) and even a brief appearance by Moore himself. It has a fine amount of laughs, tiny ones. It was OK. 6/10

I love this movie. It cracks me up every time I watch it. One of the things I think is funny is the fact that so many Canadians appear in it--although they could be walking undetected among us Americans! The idea of Canadians' massing along the border, preparing to invade the US, is hilariously depicted by the "news media," trying to whip up anti-Canadian feeling. And, Alan Alda as the vacillating politician, with Rip Torn as his Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were perfect! I enjoyed hearing the two Mounted Policemen debating about how to end a sentence without using a preposition. Their Canadian accent is more noticeable in that scene than in most others. In real life, it is interesting to consider how-different we are, even though we have so many apparent similarities. Only the Australians or Israelis are more like us Americans than are the Canadians. Yet, we are different. The scary thing is how realistic the idea of creating an enemy, where one doesn't exist may have turned out to be, as in the alleged "weapons of mass destruction" that motivated the invasion of Iraq.

I don't know exactly what to think of Moore's vision of the future. we must remember Michael Moore, the famous director of documentary's like Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine, wrote this story in 1995. though it must have seemed funny way back then, now it looks more like a parody of the way we live right now. but in 1995, people must have laughed with his futuristic vision. yes, it looks a bit like Dr. Strangelove, that's true. but hey, doesn't every Van Damme picture look the same? therefore, Canadian Bacon is very original (because there are not many war comedies of the same caliber as the one of DR. Strangelove). what I particular noticed while watching, was the way Moore used music to lead the audience into the direction he wanted. probably I wasn't the only one who heard the Vietnam war music, but that's not exactly what I meant. the sound that Moore uses to manipulate his audience is superb. for instance, there is the sound of beams of the copy machine when there is trouble in the war room, suggesting the audience that there is something dangerous is about to happen. so that's why I gave this movie 6 points. I could have given it 2 points too, because I liked and I did not like what I saw. see the movie and conclude for yourself.

To be honest, this movie isn't that good as a comedy. It doesn't have too many "haha" funny jokes and the acting isn't great either. 3/10 It has however one thing going for it that makes it worth watching (1st half is enough, I don't expect anyone to sit through the 2nd). The parallels to the first years of the G.W.Bush rule are remarkable. Oh, just substitute "Canada" with "Iraq" and "America" with "America" and this parody fits well and might not even be a parody at all (wink, wink). If you think it's too over the top, think again. And all of that 6 years before the actual events.This movie deserves some credit for accurate Divination.