Canadian Bacon (1995)

The U.S. President, low in the opinion polls, gets talked into raising his popularity by trying to start a cold war against Canada.

Director:

Michael Moore

Writer:

Michael Moore

Stars:

John Candy, Alan Alda, Rhea Perlman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Candy	...	Sheriff Bud Boomer
Alan Alda	...	President of the United States
Rhea Perlman	...	Honey
Kevin Pollak	...	Stu Smiley
Rip Torn	...	General Dick Panzer
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Roy Boy
Bill Nunn	...	Kabral
G.D. Spradlin	...	R.J. Hacker
Steven Wright	...	Niagara Mountie
Jim Belushi	...	Charles Jackal
Brad Sullivan	...	Gus
Stanley Anderson	...	Edwin S. Simon
Richard Council	...	Russian President
Wallace Shawn	...	Canadian Prime Minister
Michael Copeman	...	Panzer's Aide

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

international relations | the white house | president | canada | cia | 

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Taglines:

It Gets Lonely at the Top, When There's No More Butt to Kick.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild language and violence

Details

Official Sites:

MGM Michael Moore Official Website

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 September 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kanadská slanina

Filming Locations:

Pickering, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$53,349, 24 September 1995

Gross USA:

$163,971

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$163,971

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dog Eat Dog Films, Gramercy Pictures (I), Maverick Picture Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michael Moore wrote the screenplay during the first Gulf War, in reaction to what he felt was the US government's manipulation of the media in supporting Operation Desert Storm.

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Goofs

Boomer, Roy Boy, and Kabral are shown having to camp out for a night traveling from Niagara Falls to Toronto, and drive along rural roads to get there. The two cities are actually connected by freeways traveling through densely-populated areas, and can be driven in a couple hours.

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Quotes

Omega Force Leader: [a member of the omega force collapses. The leader goes up to him] You ok?
Omega Force member: Yeah, it's just my toe.
[the team leader shoots him]

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Crazy Credits

No Canadians were harmed during this production.

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Connections

References Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)

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Soundtracks

Toy Never Played With
Written by Kevn Kinney (as Kevin Kinney) and Tim Neilson
Performed by Drivin' 'N' Cryin' (as Drivin' 'N Cryin')
Courtesy of Island Records, Inc. and Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.

User Reviews

Brilliant Satire

While it had some flaws, mostly in some incomplete development of themes and failing to make full use of the story's potential, this is a brilliantly funny satire that mostly succeeds wonderfully on many levels.

The idea to have the US pick on Canada, internationally one of the world's least offensive and bellicose countries is itself brilliant. It wonderfully picks on the US, and more generally, on any rather belligerent nation that likes to throw its weight around and create excuses for doing so.

It also picks on the use of propaganda and even on mass media and mass mob hysteria. This is especially true in the way the film portrays how the American media discusses Canada and how some members of the public react, so that the whole idea spins out of control of those who began it for their own personal reasons. I was barely able to breath with laughter throughout the whole period when the US was flashing its propaganda about Canada and showing how threatening they are, especially how they claimed the Canadians were "infiltrating" American society and were "massing" on the border. This is wonderful satire on sensationalist news stations and their willingness to use information in a wildly inaccurate and misleading manner in order to rile people up.

The film picks on everyone involved, Canadian and American alike. It attacks the stereotypes of both, highlighting their differences yet also attacking the misconceptions about both peoples. To have a number of Canadians in the film is another flash of inspiration, too, since there are Canadians playing comically stereotypical (i.e., polite, white bread, well-spoken) Canadians and Canadians playing comically stereotypical (i.e., redneck, belligerent, crude) Americans. It adds to the irony since one of the American's propaganda tools is that there are Canadian actors everywhere in the US as such integral parts of the American entertainment industry that they are taken for Americans, and lo and behold, here some are playing various people in this film.

Some parts of the film were simply silly, with jokes that were more gags rather than actually furthering the satire and points of the movie, and this is a weak spot. While some were funny and worked, others were a bit inane and the film would have been more successful had they stuck to developing the real themes and satire of the film, which are what make it great.

Anyway, despite some weak points, this film is a brilliant satire that contains a number of parts that are utterly hilarious. It did not fulfill its full potential, but it is not too far below perfect and the good parts are really, really good.