TIFF 2013: McCanick Review

McCanick

McCanick

Contemporary World Cinema

Director: Josh C. Waller

To say that the corrupt cop drama is overdone might be an understatement, which makes the fact that Josh C. Waller’s McCanick works as well as it does quite the achievement.

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Eugene “Mack” McCanick is not a cop who plays by the rules, but as the film goes on the specificity of his corruption creates plenty of intruige. Much of this intrigue revolves around his bizarre need to punish a young street kid, Simon Weeks, who he’d had locked away years earlier. The more we learn about the history between Mack and Weeks, the more we come to realize that Mack’s troubles are far deeper and more human than they appear on the surface.

David Morse plays the titular McCanick, and while the name is more than a little silly (and played to silly effect late in the film), Morse’s performance is as great as you’d expect of the veteran actor. Also of note is the late Cory Monteith, whose performance as Simon Weeks is surprisingly affecting and very good, making his passing all the more unfortunate.

The film overall, while nothing spectacular, is also far more effective than it has any right to be. It takes turns that are both unexpected and rooted in character, and while there are a few groan-worthy, cliché moments they don’t derail the film. It’s a solid cop drama, and that’s not a bad thing at all. (Corey Atad)

Screens:

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Monday, September 9, Scotiabank 3, 7:15pm

Tuesday, September 10, Isabel Bader Theatre, 10:15pm



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