There's an indescribable nostalgia about this film which I can't shake. I believe anyone who grew up in a small town (particularly a northern, coastal town) will feel it, too. Also, I believe Canadians will get an extra kick out of the crazy Canadian eccentricities which are shamelessly ridiculed. I'm not Canadian, though I did visit New Waterford once, and I was tickled to see that my perception of that surreal small town was not unjustified.
One thing that I loved about this film, which others may not find as compelling, was the extreme subtlety. In other words, you won't get many punchline-zingers that'll make you fall off your seat, but instead (and much better imo), the low-key absurdity of the situations will keep you smiling throughout the whole picture. Don't get me wrong; there are indeed a few fantastic zingers which made me bust a gut, but it was the overall "humouresque ambiance" that appealed to me. It reminded me of an oldschool Johnny Depp comedy ("Benny & Joon", "Ed Wood", "Arizona Dream"), or if you're into Japanese cinema, it's reminiscent of the Kitano masterpiece "Kikujiro" which I highly recommend.
If you've ever lived in a small town (or even visited), I think you'll really get a kick out of this wonderful little film. And btw, it's totally "family friendly" which means you can watch it with your kids, or more importantly, you can watch it with your PARENTS without getting the evil eye!
One thing that I loved about this film, which others may not find as compelling, was the extreme subtlety. In other words, you won't get many punchline-zingers that'll make you fall off your seat, but instead (and much better imo), the low-key absurdity of the situations will keep you smiling throughout the whole picture. Don't get me wrong; there are indeed a few fantastic zingers which made me bust a gut, but it was the overall "humouresque ambiance" that appealed to me. It reminded me of an oldschool Johnny Depp comedy ("Benny & Joon", "Ed Wood", "Arizona Dream"), or if you're into Japanese cinema, it's reminiscent of the Kitano masterpiece "Kikujiro" which I highly recommend.
If you've ever lived in a small town (or even visited), I think you'll really get a kick out of this wonderful little film. And btw, it's totally "family friendly" which means you can watch it with your kids, or more importantly, you can watch it with your PARENTS without getting the evil eye!