Rating: ***
Create a musical about a hockey protégée and the question is what takes emphasis, the hockey or the music? Perhaps a better question is what took the Canadian film industry so long to come up this idea? The concept seems natural enough: you take the typical sports movie clichés, put them in a hockey rink, load up some hardcore Canadiana and then score the thing with a generous helping of catchy tunes. That’s the formula for Score: A Hockey Musical, the new movie from the director, who, in his last film, sent Joshua Jackson on a cross-country biker trek at the whim of a Roll-Up-the-Rim-to-Win cup.
For all intents and purposes, the film comes set up much like a hockey game. It begins with the national anthem as sung by Scottish crooner John McDermott, then heads into a first period of excitement where, not knowing what to expect, we meet the starting line-up, gage their talents and make our bets on how this game will end up. From there we settle into the second period, where events unfold as expected as everyone saves their energy for the grand finale in the third period, as the team comes together for one final burst of energy and drive in order to bring the game into a friendly result.
Having written that just now, I feel that I’ve strained the hockey game metaphor perhaps a bit too far. For Score not only sticks closely to the conventions of the hockey/sports movie, it’s also finds comfort in the routine of the musical. The perfectly named Farley Gordon (Noah Reid) is a sweet, simple, home schooled 17-year-old with hippie parents and a killer acumen for the game of hockey. Naturally his parents don’t understand and, dare I say, generally disprove of Farley’s (natural) love of the game.
For Mr. and Mrs. Gordon there’s even more trepidation about the sport when they’re introduced to Walt Acorn (Stephen McHattie), owner of the fictitious Brampton Blades, which is part of a fictitious version of the Ontario Hockey League. Farley desires to play minor league hockey despite only ever playing on the neighbourhood rink, so it’s quite the culture shock for him when he’s introduced to the rude, crude and yes, violent world of competitive hockey. Also complicating things for Farley are some confusing feelings for his platonic (though she wishes it was more) BFF Eve, played adorably by Allie MacDonald.
Writer/director Michael McGowan stacks the deck in his favour with a lot of familiar faces, from former Grease girl Olivia Newton-John playing Farley’s mom to Hour man George Stroumboulopoulos playing an announcer to a cameo by the most famous hockey dad of all, Walter Gretzky. Noted Canadian musicians Nelly Furtado and Hawksley Workman also pop up in small cameos, not that you’ll really notice. Furtado and Workman seem to be a part of the film if only to up the musical street cred. The same could also be said for the appearance of the elder Gretzky and former Calgary Flame Theo Fleury. You have to appreciate the half-hearted shout outs, but the movie doesn’t really need them, nor do they help.
The kind of typical sports movie territory of a rookie superstar initially basking in the recognition of his skill before getting crushed with self-doubt and finding his way again is a well-worn plot. Of course, like all sports movies, it works for the most part on an emotional level. Farley’s quest is fun to follow, if only because watching him navigate the seemingly brutal world of minor league hockey despite his declared pacifism makes for an interesting conflict. How does Farley get the respect of his brawling brothers on ice without betraying his principles and throwing down? McGowan clearly wasn’t able to find a satisfying enough solution, but it’s fun watching Farley struggle.
As for the music, there’s really no standout hit, which is kind of key when you’re putting a musical together. A day later and I wasn’t sure if I remembered any of the songs, and even hearing them in film wasn’t exactly a toe-tapping affair. As well, it took a while for the musical aspect of Score to really take hold. When the cast broke into the first couple of songs there was a slight jarring effect as you say to yourself “Oh yeah, it’s a musical, and this is natural.” I’m not sure if that was a function of my own viewer mentality or something the film did on its own, but it took a minute of getting used to.
On a whole though, I have a hard time saying that Score wasn’t a satisfying experience. I think coming out of it, you get exactly what you thought you were going to get going in. The energy and dedication of the cast and crew is indeed all there on screen, making the film an enjoyable romp despite any stylistic or narrative hiccups. In fact, it’s hard not to sit there and enjoy the film. It’s campy in a good way with some good laughs and, if nothing else, a solidly patriotic disposition that gives a friendly poke to all those obsessed with Saturday Night on the CBC. You don’t have to know hockey – or musicals – to get it, but it can’t hurt either.
