Hard Core Logo

Well... I really like this movie! I'm not going to go into the whole "Yay Canada" bit... because, well... we know we make good movies, no need to constantly pat ourselves on the back. Hey, just look at "American Beer"... love that too! Anyway, on to business... this was a great movie... Hugh Dillon is a great actor, as well as an accomplished musician (Headstones rock!!!), and does a great job. He really knows the role... being the lead singer for a band himself... he brought something unique to the role... something a conventional "actor" couldn't have, which I liked.

I must comment on the ending... it completely blew me away... I sat there while the credits began to role wondering what had just happened. That is what makes this movie so great... very few movies can do that for me. Congratulations go to Kevin MacDonald, he did a fine job!!

**** out of *****

Let's get it over with right from the beginning: the only thing that "This Is Spinal Tap!" and "Hard Core Logo" have in common is the documentary set up. While Spinal Tap was a comedy that - as the name of the genre "mockumentary" suggests - mocked the heavy metal scene, "Hard Core Logo" is a character study that takes an honest look at a band and life on the road. Actually, the whole framework is rather unnecessary in this movie as it serves no real purpose and characters didn't act like they were in front of a camera (unlike say "The Office", where people behaved as if they were aware of being filmed). Besides, the pictures are shot too beautifully anyway for this to feel like a real documentary. That's not to say "Hard Core Logo" isn't realistic, though. The movie gives us a quite real impression of being in a punk band, caught between different agendas, personalities, power struggles and the sheer need to survive. This is why, apart from a few moments that will make you chuckle, "Hard Core Logo" isn't really trying to be funny, either. Just like real life the tragic moments outweigh the comedic ones by far. The acting is great and the soundtrack is accurate, two very important things to make a movie about punk rock work. Apart from maybe the drummer the band members aren't over-subscribed and you can really see guys like Joe Dick or Billy Talent playing in actual bands (guess what, Hugh Dillon actually was the singer of his own band, The Headstones). "Hard Core Logo" works on every level and is very entertaining to watch, too. There are quite a few details in the story hinted at rather subtly, which you're probably not going to get the first time around, so a second or third viewing is recommended.

It resembles "Spinal Tap" only in that it's about a fictitious rock band on its way down. This is a more ambitious movie, and its mood is much darker -- while it has its comic moments, it's not a film to watch when you're feeling down.

This particular American viewer had no trouble with the Canadian references -- yes, we can tell Canadian cities apart and know exactly which Quebeckers the bassist was talking about. In fact, the Canadianness of the movie was part of its appeal, and I'm not just talking about the stunning scenery. I do have to admit overlooking the angle about Canadian musicians selling out to the American scene -- I was more attuned to the sellout on the personal rather than national level. Bands in the States lose musicians to L.A., too.

At its core, this is a movie about friendship and betrayal, and in the end, betrayal wins. It's a hard, honest movie, not easy watching but worth the effort.

(Parents, this one isn't for the kiddies -- lots of obscenity and some violence, though none of it is gratuitous to the story.)

Someone once asked me if I were stranded on a desert island and could only watch one movie for the rest of my life, what would it be? Without question, it would be this mockumentary gem from The Great White North. Cheers to all those involved: to Hugh, Callum, John, Bernie, and Julian, whose performances are all top-notch; to Noel and Michael, whose writing exemplify true Canadian talent and spirit; and to Bruce, who brought it all together beautifully. If you haven't seen this movie, FIND IT. You'll laugh, you'll cry, it'll move you.

Really interesting film for anyone familiar with the hardcore music scene that deals with the problems and moral dilemmas of a reunited band. The problem is the movie is mismarketed as a comedy. Humor in the movie is quite present though dark and dry (though still very funny). This movie is actually quite a bit better than spinal tap. It's not mocking a bad band of a genre, but exploring the problems of the scene by looking at what's viewed to be a good one. The only similarity between this film and spinal tap is the narrative framework, which is that of a documentary, though in this film, that device becomes less obtrusive, and in all honesty could have been removed. Also, this movie has much more of a human heart than a film like spinal tap or fear of a black hat (another movie that got lumped into the "mockumentary" genre). The big problem I think is that this movie is represented as a comedy, and it's as dramatic as it is humorous. Terrific ending too. Recommended to those who enjoy dark comedies and punk rock.