With "Sicko" in the theaters, it brings us back to another one of Michael Moore's movies: "Canadian Bacon". This one portrays the US president (Alan Alda) trying to raise his approval ratings by starting a war with Canada; after all, every president needs to be famous for at least one military adventure. As one might expect, the movie trashes both the US (we look like a bunch of jingoistic whack-job ignoramuses) and Canada (for some reason, nothing upsets them); although you have to admit, our northern neighbor really looks better.
John Candy - himself a Canadian - plays a police chief leading an invasion into Canada, first to throw garbage into a Toronto park, then to rescue a fellow officer (Rhea Perlman) accidentally left there. But it's just great how they show the government using the whole thing to make the people hate another country. A TV commercial says: "Canadians! They walk among us! Alex Trebek! Michael J. Fox!" These sorts of movies will always remain relevant as long as warmongers exist. And anyway, Michael Moore has plenty of reasons to like Canada (national health care, they don't invade other countries, and more).
Probably most of all, "Canadian Bacon" goes to show what we lost when John Candy died (too bad that his last movie was the god-awful "Wagons East"). Also starring Kevin Pollak, Wallace Shawn, and brief appearances by Moore himself as a right-wing yahoo, and by Dan Aykroyd (another Canadian) as a cop.
Canadian Bacon
1995
Action / Comedy
Canadian Bacon
1995
Action / Comedy
Plot summary
The US economy is in a rut, and so is the president's approval rating. What we need is a good war, but the Russians aren't interested. Hey -- how about that big polite country to the north? Niagara Falls Sheriff Bud B. Boomer takes this all a bit too seriously, though.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
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Michael Moore does it again
Canada rules
It's time for re-election and cliche spouting President Alan Alda is having trouble convincing the American public why they should vote for him. Only one rule in American politics apples here. People support the commander-in-chief when there's a war.
But shooting wars are nasty. Let it be a long standing Cold War like what we had with the Soviet Union for almost half a century. Munitions makers like G.D. Spradlin get rich and folks have their paranoia increase. So keep the paranoia going and everyone's happy.
Canadian Bacon due to the antics of our current president has become frighteningly relevant today. Funny it is, but it does give one cause for concern.
So after a hockey game in Niagara Falls on the Canadian side where by nationality the participants fought, the administration seeks to create a wave discontent with our ally Canada.
John Candy is the patriotic sheriff in Niagara County in New York where things are breaking and somehow Candy interjects himself in what is going on. Rhea Perlman is his zealous deputy who is a bit paranoid.. Several other familiar faces as well are here.
Good satire delivered here.
satire idea not that funny
R.J. Hacker shuts down his weapons plant and blames it on the President (Alan Alda). Sheriff Bud Boomer (John Candy) and Honey (Rhea Perlman) are fishing jumpers from the plant out of Niagara Falls for $50 a pop. Bud says Canadian beer sucks which sets off a riot at the hockey game. The President has desperately poor approval ratings. His adviser Stu Smiley (Kevin Pollak) comes up with the idea to make Canada the new Cold War foe but General Panzer (Rip Torn) wants an actual war. There are lots of digs at Canada and the US. It has a few cute jokes but it's not that funny. It tries to be a smart satire. The main problem is that everybody is doing it with a nudge and a wink. Steven Wright is kind of funny as a Mountie. It would probably help to have a catchy song like South Park.