I saw Continental, a Film Without Guns | Continental, un film sans fusil at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. The film won Best Canadian First Feature Film at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. I saw Tu dors Nicole | You're Sleeping Nicole (2014) from the same writer/director Stephane Lafleur.
My excitement for seeing Viking was mostly because of Lafleur's previous films. The premise was that regular people were going on a space mission but not really. The 5 people selected fit the personalities of those actually on Mars. They don't physically look like the people in space, which is why Steven (Larissa Corriveau) is a woman and Liz (Denis Houle) is a man.
David (Steve Laplante) is John, as in John is the person he is emulating on Earth to help solve potential problems with the actual astronauts. David is a gym teacher looking for more significant purpose in his life. The others on his team are Janet (Fabiola N. Aladin) as the team leader and Gary (Hamza Haq). Gary relies more on English as opposed to French than his other teammates.
They are supposed to stay in character but David gets Steven to admit she's an event planner in the outside world.
They have their own team struggles as they exist to provide help to the other team. David gets a little too into his role and overthrows Janet as the leader.
The team plays these moments as deadpan so the audience has to laugh when the need arises. David's desire for 2 sugar cubes in his coffee while the team insists on one sugar cube may not seem funny but it works in the film.
Lafleur (co-written with Éric K. Boulianne) explores interpersonal relationships and the obsession over chemistry in personal relationships. The film does not break stride, much like the obsession over the project from John/David. An office drama where you live with your co-workers.
Gary is the go along/get along person you've seen on a team. He is happy to be on the side of whomever is in charge. This gets challenged a bit when Gary has to admit to John, who is into Steven, that he is into Steven.
I see quite a few Quebecois films and haven't run into a character that spoke French but struggled in moments. An intriguing small detail.
Laplante played a more gregarious character in Babysitter, meaning he starred in 2 of the 6 nominees for Best Motion Picture at the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards. Character actors don't always leap well into being the lead but Laplante knows exactly what to do and is very easy to root for, especially when he screws up.
TIFF selects Top 10 Canadian films of 2022
Viking is a rather clever film with subtle humour. The story is fresh and highly relatable. The pacing is solid and you are captivated to find out how the film will end.
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Viking received 13 Canadian Screen Awards nominations, including Best Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Lead Performance (Laplante), and Best Original Screenplay. Sara Mishara won a Canadian Screen Award for cinematography.
The film received Special Mention for Best Canadian Feature Film. behind To Kill a Tiger at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. Viking did make the TIFF Top 10 Canadian films of 2022.
Viking is available on Fandor in the United States.
video credit: YouTube/TIFF Trailers
photo credit: Viking
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