Puck Hogs

The cover art / poster of this movie is misleading. The sexed-up girl in front stages it like a raunchy buddy comedy. The only thing I'd change is that cover art. It markets the movie wrongly, and I expect those who want to watch the movie it appears to be will end up disappointed. It's more introspective than that, isn't sexist, and is an often-funny look at a struggling local Canadian hockey team. The players reunite to give the championship one last shot, while under the threat of losing their team altogether. There are some great hockey standards, like the hotheaded Russian goalie and the guy perpetually on the bench (afraid of the "corners"). I saw it on Netflix with my husband, who loves the Montreal Canadians, and we both loved it for its irreverent, character-based humor. It's FX's The League (the main character reminds me so much of Pete) meets Trailer Park Boys. The low-budget look paired well with the down-home feel and the characters seemed like authentic townie Canadians. I feel like we found a hidden gem, especially since other reviews are mostly negative. I highly recommend this film, especially to those who enjoy sports, root for underdogs and like "mockumentaries" as I do.

This movie was a pleasant surprise. Unlike the poor reviews given by previous IMDb critics, Puck Hogs was silly, sophomoric, and just plain funny. It's not a deep, introspective look at the of world of hockey. For that I recommend Les Chiefs. And, fortunately, Puck Hogs wasn't a Mighty Ducks turd-fest. For that, I recommend...well, The Might Ducks or Youngblood. Puck Hogs was not a Slapshot, nor do I think it every tried to be. It is a low-budget, parody of Canadian recreational hockey. If you have ever played rec hockey you will enjoy the humour (e.g., foul smelling hockey bag, a-hole convenors, stacked opposing teams wanting to win at all costs, terrible refereeing, excessive after-game drinking, etc.). To those who hated the movie I say this - good grief, what did you expect - it's a movie about a rec hockey team. I suppose you hate Don Cherry too. Get over yourselves.

Ever since Trailer Park Boys, everyone in Canada has been trying to copy it and failing big time. This movie steals all it's ideas and "jokes" from multiple sources, everything from TPB to an Atom and His Package song. To make it even worse, the attempt at a fake documentary is ruined by having 3 to 5 cameras in every scene. I would have respected the movie a little if they had just tried to make it a regular movie. The production makes Cock'd Gunns seem real. Never see this.

The VIFF reviews page at Third Row or whatever the publication is called hit the nail right on the head when they call this "a sad little comedy". Except I don't think the word comedy should even apply, does a film count as a comedy simply for trying to be a comedy or should it at least be funny at some point? The review does point out that the film is funny for the first five or ten minutes and I guess that is true in that at least it kept my interest for that long, but even if you like the beginning the movie is a real snooze fest from there on. The performances are all wooden and unfunny and you can tell the actors are just thinking "what the hell is going on and when can I just get paid and get out of here?" The director is Warren P. Sonoda and if you click on his name it takes you to other titles like Ham and Cheese and for anyone else out there who has seen Ham and Cheese you will know I am right to ask this question, "who keeps letting Warren P. Sonoda make movies?" The guy obviously has no clue what comedy is or even how to make a coherent or interesting film. The production values look sloppy and again, after the first few minutes the movie comes off the rails and becomes a series of scenes with confused actors playing oddball characters trying desperately to get a laugh. I think people were falling asleep during this movie. Not just saying that, it was that boring and that poorly received. I didn't see anyone walk out but after sitting through 20 minutes of this awful movie I grabbed my coat and was ready to walk out as soon as other people started to, I wish I had the guts to start the stampede for the exit myself, everyone else probably would have thanked me. There is some recognizable Canadian talent in the film but this is nobody's best work and again I think it comes down to a horrible script (after the first few minutes) and really incompetent directing. Avoid this movie unless you are a masochist.

I went into Puck Hogs hoping for a decent sports comedy, but unfortunately, it misses the mark on almost every level. The plot is flimsy, the jokes feel forced and outdated, and the characters are more like caricatures than anything believable or relatable. It tries hard to be a quirky underdog story but never finds its rhythm.

That being said, there are a few moments that made me chuckle, and you can tell the cast is having fun, which adds a tiny bit of charm. The hockey scenes are serviceable, and there's some heart buried beneath the cringeworthy gags and uneven pacing.

However, the film just doesn't hold up overall. It's a slog to get through and feels like a low-budget attempt to recreate far better sports comedies from the past. While not the worst thing I've ever seen, it's certainly not something I'd recommend unless you're a die-hard fan of hockey-related humor.

This review offers a fair critique, giving the movie some credit while justifying the low rating.