Breakaway
Despite the clichéd Canadiana content, Breakaway is an enjoyable, earnest effort offering family-friendly fun.
SCREENINGS:
Saturday, September 10, 9 p.m.
Visa Screening Room (Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge Street)
Sunday, September 11, 12:15 p.m.
AMC 2 (10 Dundas Street East)
There seems to be a growing tradition that each year’s TIFF must have its own blood-boilingly Canadiana film, and that the film illustrate its dedication to Canadian image through the use of our popular ice-based team sport, hockey. Last year, Score: A Hockey Musical got a lot of hosers’ plaid in a knot over being confusingly included in the festivities and also not being very good. This year’s spiritual successor is Breakaway, which is unfortunate if only because Breakaway isn’t really that bad. Admittedly it’s about hockey and second generation immigrants and they sing the national anthem in a scene and Russell Peters is in it and Drake plays himself in a cameo and somewhere out there is a member of the Canadian Arts Council with a big goofy smile on their face, but as hokey as the hockey foundations are, it’s still a pretty honest and earnest effort.
Newcomer Vinay Virmani plays a young Indian having trouble both respecting his culturally conservative parents while following his heart towards Canada’s sports and pretty white women, root issues I’m certain will touch base for Canadians of all migrations. The drama and humour cruise comfortably at a family-level fun, which means that the festival demographic will rip this one to shreds. But if you happen to love hockey and moreover love the Canadian identity in regards to immigration, then there’s something here for you. Or if you want to see Rob Lowe and Ludacris in the same movie, because I can guarantee no other festival film can deliver that.