Product Details

• Actors: John Candy, Alan Alda, Rhea Perlman, Kevin Pollak, Rip Torn
• Directors: Michael Moore
• Writers: Michael Moore
• Producers: Michael Moore, David Brown, Freddy De Mann, Gregory Goodman, Kathleen Glynn
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Polygram Video
• VHS Release Date: August 23, 1996
• Run Time: 91 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303854508
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,059 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Fresh from the success of Roger and Me, documentary filmmaker Michael Moore made the mistake of trying his hand at fiction film. Hoping to satirize America's leap into the Gulf War (and its abandonment of its industrial base), he wrote and directed this disappointing comedy, which fell flat despite a cast that included Alan Alda, Rip Torn, Rhea Perlman, John Candy, and Kevin Pollak. The premise is that the president (Alda) is so far down in the polls that he has to create a war to bolster his popularity; he picks a fight with Canada, demonizing the bland denizens of the Great White North to the point that a group of Niagara Falls law-enforcement types (led by Candy in one of his final film roles) decides to invade on their own initiative. There are a couple of funny moments (mostly having to do with the propaganda campaign against Canada), but otherwise, a frozen stiff. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More! A hidden gem., October 23, 2004

By 

isala "Isabel and Lars" (London, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canadian Bacon (DVD)

Canadian Bacon is Moore's only non-documentary. It is still a scathing attack on US presidential politics. It was made during the Clinton administration (and republican critisism of Moore was notably absent), but does well apply to the present situation. I just hope Moore's prophesies turn in!
There are some absolutley hilarious moments like when the 'invaders' have to paint there anti-Canadian grafitti in both French and English, or (my favourite) when they only know the first line of 'Born in the USA.'
This film deserves more attention.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An underappreciated gem, August 15, 2003

By 

E. PEPKE (Tallahassee, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Canadian Bacon [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Moore may have been trying to produce liberal commentary, but as Spike Lee with Bamboozled, he got caught up in the form and managed to produce an excellent satire that skewers everybody. From the machinations of Alan Alda as the President of the U.S. to the homage to Life of Brian where a Canadian policeman makes the American invaders translate the insults painted on their truck into French to please the Quebecois, to the invaders pushing through a crowd of Canadians who apologize to being in the way to Rhea Perlman delivering the line "Canuck Central," this is the ultimate send-up of all Canadian stereotypes of America and American stereotypes of Canada.

It doesn't hurt that Candy is from the Toronto Second City troupe, and even Rhea Perlman out-Andrea-Martins the original. Kevin Pollak, in his own cubicle-farm way, works as well as George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent satire, April 1, 2004

By 

"anderix" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canadian Bacon (DVD)

I've read some bad reviews for this film. I think it's probably because some people just had different expectations from it. It is an excellent political satire, with a strong statement, which makes you laugh and think at the same time. If that's what you are looking for, if you like "Wag the Dog" and "Doctor Strangelove", then you'll probably like this one as well!