I have made it a mission to watch all movies Cape Breton over the next few weeks and review them. I’m not much for watching TV. I’ve actually cut back my TV watching to next to nothing for almost a year. But I figure becoming a couch potato for a little bit to cram in all Cape Breton movies in the name of culture is a noble pursuit that might teach me more about the wonders of this place. I intend to post about two movies a week, offer some insight and report on what I have learned.
Here is my list.
- New Waterford Girl (seen)
- My Bloody Valentine (seen)
- Margaret’s Museum (eluding me)
- Johnny Belinda (I have it)
- The Bay Boy (got it)
- Going Down the Road (can’t find it)
-Down the Road Again (have it)
- Sealed Cargo (have it)
- Marion Bridge (another one that should be easy to find but don’t have it yet)
-The Legend of the Psychotic Forest Ranger (looking for it)
What did I miss??? Please suggest other movies or help me track these down if you can!
On with the reviews. I’m going to not worry too much about spoilers as I expect most people have seen these movies multiple times.
New Waterford Girl (1999) directed by Alan Moyle
I first wanted to say this is a great cast of Canadian gems. So many well know and talented Canadian actors play a role, including Tara Spencer-Nairn (Corner Gas), Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Nicholas Campbell (Davinci’s Inquest), Mark McKinley ( Kids in the Hall) and even a small bit by famous Nova Scotian John Dunsworth (Trailer Park Boys), A few Cape Bretoners make the list too (Bette MacDonald, Sam White are noticeable to me, but I’m sure there are way more that I can’t do justice to).
The movie takes place in the 1970s with some amazing retro clothes and great sets. I particularly like the sweater with maple leaves down the shoulders. I think I had a sweater like that!
Liane Balaban plays Agnes Marie Pottie - nicknamed Mooney, who is a dreamer growing up in New Waterford, desperate to find a way out to pursue the world, but seemingly stuck in a life she is expected to accept. I must admit this type of storyline is not what I regularly pursue, but this movie is so charming, clever and subtly funny in a very entertaining way. Liane particularly shines in this movie, playing both the reclusive and over-dramatic teenage girl. We can all relate to these types, some that are no longer that age but still living out that dream!
Lou Benzoa, played by Tara Spencer-Nairn, moves to New Waterford to escape a troubled life in New York and befriends Mooney. The juxtaposition between the two characters really plays out, as Lou is outgoing, boy crazy and seems to find her comfort zone everywhere she goes. She is not afraid of confrontation, which results in several boys being knocked out. No kicks to the nuts. Just good old fashioned haymakers as judgement to males that determine guilt and innocence.
This results in Liane finding some sense of identity and escape in New Waterford as she plans and implements a clever escape strategy.
Key east coast themes are at the heart of this movie, which really helps to bring authenticity to the story. The moving away for a better life element is something that people out here can relate to all too well. Another theme that is explored with satire is the “come from away” phenomenon. It is explained through an interacting between the tough-to-crack town girls and Lou. It comes across as comedy, and at the root of it all I think many outsiders consider it humourous and confusing. Another thematic theme is that of religion. The Virgin Mary is used to portray both the importance of religion in a small community and also small town superstition in a very funny way. For a place that seems to suppress imagination in the movie superstition is rampant in New Waterford.
Mary Walsh and Nichols Campbell shine as the parents, who are continuously concerned about their daughters dreaming and not fitting in. On scene that was truly funny was the exchange between Mooney and her father. “Why can’t I just be alone?. Alright Mooney go to your room. I don’t have a room, I sleep in the hall, remember?!!”
Another role I particularly enjoyed was Joey (Kevin Curran). He is such a pawn and, in my opinion, has the classic New Waterford accent down pat. He really adds a sense of charm to the movie, a movie already full of charm.
The one role I didn’t like is that of Cecil Sweeny. Cecil is an outsider, and like Mooney, is trying to discover himself. He forms a sort of bond with Mooney as loners. This bond is awkward for a number of reasons. Firstly, he is in a teaching role and expresses his love to Mooney, who is 15, which adds a bit of a misplaced sobering element. Secondly, the role is played by Andrew McCarthy, who was a substantial American child star in the 1980s (Less than Zero, St. Elmo’s Fire, Pretty in Pink) and probably more famous for Weekend at Bernie’s. He is completely out of place in this movie and his role is really sends bad vibes in what is essentially a feel good movie. I suspect that star power trumped best fit here.
I had heard that most of the movie was shot in Glace Bay and North Sydney, where many of the street signs were changed over to older versions of what used to be there. This must have made New Waterford people a bit agitated, as there are known boundaries and identity wars between these communities on the island. I am particularly interested where some of the locations were filmed, the diner in particular. It seems like such a comfortable and welcoming hang-out spot. I’m sure there are many people out there that could add to the story of the filming and it would be great to heard from you.
This movie was much better than I expected. A departure from what I usually watch but it was really great. Culture, although embellished and satirized, really came across in a way that all Canadians can relate and embrace. I’m not really a fan of Moyle’s other work (Pump up the Volume, Empire Records) but this film is special.
Chris Bellemore is a blogger from Ontario that moved to Cape Breton Island and is logging his experiences in this strange and wonderful place.
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