Trudeau

I'm a conservative; and even those who are die-hard conservatives, or hated Trudeau, will really enjoy this flick. I bought it after watching it and renting it about a dozen times.

The historical accuracy was great - which is very funny for a historical movie (because not a lot of these kinds of movies are historically accurate). Its hard for me to determine what my favorite scene was because they were all great. Even the opening of the movie with the old CBC colour butterfly was great, and set up the atmosphere for the film. It gives everyone a chance to see how popular politicians got started, and made their mark, and how others were hated and why they were hated. It was definitely not biased whatsoever.

This movie has made it in my top three most favorite movies.

It's typical that the Canadian press (including 'The Toronto Star' and 'The Globe and Mail') would overhype a docudrama like this one. For one thing, it's about the beloved Pierre Elliot Trudeau, who, despite his flaws, seemed to capture the hearts of many a Canadian in a manner usually reserved for members of the Royal family, and maybe the Kennedys.

The more disturbing trend illustrated by the press of late is the tendency to write blindly self-congratulatory articles on Canadian content. As if the CRTC didn't limit our content choices enough as it is. Just look at all the glowing press that the Simpsons' "Toronto episode" unfairly garnered.

But back to the matter at hand. "Trudeau": the much hyped, much touted biopic miniseries starring a bevy of Canadian regulars, such as Colm Feore, R.H. Thompson, Patrick McKenna and, surprise, surprise, Don McKellar. Oh, and it stars Polly Walker as Margaret. Now, who is Polly Walker, and what's the big deal here?

Jerry Ciccoretti's direction is admirable at times, working with what must have been a limited budget. Instant giveaway: excess of stock footage from the CBC archives. At other times, however, Ciccoretti gives into cheap mimicry of better filmmakers (yes, Jerry, we get the Richard Lester references). This also involves a mind-boggling over-use of cheap video effects, including split screen, freeze frame, and "wacky font library" titling. All this >reminds me of that video project I got an A on in High School (I think it was about the school's lacrosse team).

Back to the acting. Colm (pronounced "Caw-lum," as Cynthia Dale so eloquently introduced him at the end of the first episode) Feore is passable in the title role. I've never been a huge fan of his overly affected Stratford festival style of acting. But he generally pulls it off. Still, it raises the debate of acting vs. mimicry. Where's the passion, Colm?

Polly Walker is gawdawful as Margaret, although one wonders as to how much she was given to work with, considering the muddled direction and the real-life woman she's modelled after.

The supporting actors generally do better, culminating tour-de-force performances by Eric Peterson as Tommy Douglas and Luc Proulx as Rene Levesque.

In the end, I'm sure that "Trudeau" will pull in record ratings for the ailing CBC. But it's still sub-standard entertainment. We need new directors, and new fresh talent to grace our TV screens if we want TV to survive in this country. Otherwise, we can tune in to better fare from the UK or, dare I say it, the US.

And the press better learn how to criticize, because this is imperative if our country wants to grow in the arts.

There isn't much to be said about this movie, especially anything negative. The director plays a critical role in making this movie the gem that it is. This movie allows one to feel the full spectrum of emotions that isn't seen often in the current releases. Very strong movie, well-made. touching, even for a 25 year old chap like me. Very refreshing to see home town scenery in a movie, soundtrack for this movie is incredible and well chosen for each interlude. I've read a few books on Trudeau and have to point out that the information in this movie is quite accurate.

Bravo Jerry, rest in peace Pierre and Michel.

JMH

The 1960s-1970s pastiche style of this telefilm was so very well accomplished that it made me realize again why I HATED films of this era so much--the semicoherent lets-pretend-we're-tripping mise en scene, the syrupy musical interludes, the overall style-over-substance approach. But then around the three-quarters point I realized how RIGHT this approach is to this particular story. What "Trudeau" says to me is that Trudeau was put into office because he seemed to fit the style of the times--as one of his handlers terms it at the beginning of the film, he's "sexy"--but, as is demonstrated over and over, he utterly lacked the stuff of a real statesman, as reflected not only in his fumbling of various Quebec separatist uprisings but in his personally and politically suicidal choice of the immature, abusive narcissist Margaret Sinclair as his consort. I found "Trudeau" painful to watch, especially the scenes in which the aging Trudeau is browbeaten and humiliated by his hystrionic child-wife, the objective correlative of his former glamorous self, which contrasts with smarting irony with the progressive revelation of his inability to deliver the goods ("What do you want me to do about it?" he squawks to an aide, not the first or last revelation of this very hollow man's essential cluelessness.) I bought "Trudeau" wanting to see more of Colm Feore after being enchanted by his portrayal of Glenn Gould, another stupefyingly complex late 20th century Canadian mass media icon. Weirdly, and appropriately I think, Feore's Gould comes across as a far warmer, more authentic personality than his cold, brittle Trudeau. Polly Shannon's whimpery Margaret just made me want to slap her in the mouth, which I think is perfectly appropriate to the character. Most of all I just loved the way the director used Patrick McKenna in this film, not giving him that much to DO but posing him strategically near Feore at crucial moments, his chubby, mobile face and beautiful huge gray eyes telegraphing perfectly all the ideas and emotions that the fuzzy, chilly stick figure next to him just isn't grasping.

Pierre Trudeau was one of our greatest leaders, love him or hate him, and this documentary helps endear him to a younger generation, people like me, who weren't alive when he was Prime Minister of Canada.

The film takes you through his terms as PM, with a keen eye for detail. Portions include the invoking of the War Measures Act, which sparked controversy all around the world; his marriage to his first wife, Margaret, the catastrophe with the FLQ, and much more.

The acting in the series is top-notch, except for Polly Shannon, who turns in an uneven performance as Margaret. She's often either very excited or very down-in-the-dumps, which was realistic, but she didn't really capture the essence of Margaret, or so I think.

Colm Feore, who looks nothing like Trudeau; turns in a great performance as the man himself. Despite the non-resemblance of the two men, Feore has all of the famous quotes, body movements, and mannerisms of the former PM done to a T.

Patrick McKenna, who many Canadians remember as loveable-dope Harold Green on 'The Red Green Show' turns in a solid performance as Duncan. This was one of his first serious roles, and he did an excellent job.

I think that Pierre himself would have enjoyed this miniseries, as it is brilliantly lit, shot, and edited.

Even though he is widely regarded as 'Eastern Canada's' PM; Trudeau was the man that people around the world identified as Canada during the 1970's, and he was a fine ambassador for our country.

The CBC, a government-controlled operative, does a great job in showing us the trials and tribulations of Trudeau's life. This is easily their best film since 'White Lies'.