General

‘Fubar II’

Canada’s true gift to world cimena, the hoser farce, is back

You know that something is going right with this country when it’s still possible to turn out a new and improved prototype of the hoser farce. Director Michael Dowse cashes in on the cult success of Fubar (2002) the best way possible, by turning it up to 11. This raucous mockumentary begins with a party to celebrate a one-nut Dean’s fifth anniversary of being cancer free, and the bash turns into a house-wrecking eviction party. The inimitable Tron (Andrew Sparacino) blithely promises Dean (Paul Spence) and Terry (Dave Lawrence) jobs in Fort McMurray, so that’s where they end up, working the pipeline and having a buddy bro-mance break-up as Dean falls hard for a zaftig waitress (Terra Hazelton) at a strip bar. What’s most surprising about the film is not how funny it is: sweet sentiment waylays us as this hoser comedy almost turns into a Christmas movie. As much as Canadian cinema aspires to high art, Fubar II reminds us that (the horror!) maybe this is what we do best.

Fubar II premieres at TIFF on September 9, with an additional screening on September 11

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