Canadian Strain paints an world in Ontario once marijuana becomes legal. The film uses actual footage of various related events with a fictional story about your well-versed neighbourhood drug dealer who is forced to rethink her world when marijuana becomes a legal product.
In reality, black market drug dealers in Ontario did quite well since there were no stores and limited supplies on mail order. The film takes that world in a different direction.
Anne (Jess Salgueiro) is captivating as the drug dealer with steady clients who leave her for apps and points. The idea that Shoppers Drug Mart would sell marijuana was a very popular joke.
Anne is in financial trouble, getting kicked out of her apartment. She feels like she is losing a battle to government-controlled marijuana, eventually getting a job at the CDCBO (Cannabis Distribution and Control Board of Ontario), a play on LCBO in Ontario.
Marijuana in Canada on 4/20/20
Colin Mochrie has some nice moments as Anne's father. Marcia Bennett is wonderful as Anne's grandma and client. Naomi Snieckus steals the show as Anne's CDCBO boss Judy. The film's cast is largely female. The film uses marijuana to tell larger stories about women in business and looking out for each other.
Writer/director Geordie Sabbagh presents an odd mixture of reality and pretend, an interpretation that is parallel to reality and also very close to it. The less you know about the early days of legal marijuana, especially in Toronto, the less confused you will be in the film.
This is the second full-length film for Sabbagh, who also used Salgueiro, Benjamin Ayres, Angela Besharah, and Ashleigh Rains in A Sunday Kind of Love (2016).
That said, writing a film that is riffing off what is happening in the real world is difficult. Enjoy the ride.
The commentary on the government and CDCBO is poignant and funny.
"We Canadians like to keep our drugs and our fucking behind closed doors."
The name Canadian Strain tells you the film is Canadian. This film feels Canadian. You will know this is Canadian without the need for stereotypes (sorry Bob and Doug McKenzie).
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Canadian Strain got caught in the list of films that were headed to theatres but were halted to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The film did play the Whistler Film Festival last December.
video credit: YouTube/Pacific Northwest Pictures
photo credit: Canadian Strain film
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