Customer Reviews

Citizen Duane

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Citizen Duane is one of those films you have never heard of. If you ever happened to stumble across it, the cover would lead you think that it was some manner of strange kids' fare that wouldn't appeal to anyone over 12. However, the truth is that this is a brilliant piece of cinema that strikes every chord it goes for perfectly.

Douglas Smith and Devon Bostick as the dysfunctional brother team are outstanding. Alberta Watson is believable, sweet, funny, strong, and real every moment she's on screen. Donal Logue is great. This is one of the strongest casts you'll find assembled anywhere. Douglas Smith in particular is a breakout here. He's like a very real, quirky, and strange Fred Savage if Wonder Years were written with a slightly psychotic flair. He conveys a world of emotion with his face and is utterly charming. I'd love to see more work by him.

The plot is clever even if not the deepest material around. It's a tad predictable, but well-paced which prevents it from being tired. There are a number of extremely good laughs pulled off perfectly by Smith. The ending is sweet and touching. I recommend this movie to anybody that loves a good, funny, underdog film with likable characters. You won't be disappointed by this unheard-of gem!

CITIZEN DUANE (2008) is an interesting film to review. Filmed in the very pretty city of Hamilton, Ontario, this hilarious, politically deep comedy actually has a powerful message for all Americans--not just our far Northern cousins.

The gorgeous and too-little-seen Douglas Smith is Duane Balfour, a weirdly determined genius who decides he must run for mayor of the fictional city of Ridgeberg (which I have also seen billed as "Ridgeway"). Smith is a very close match to the teenaged Leonardo DiCaprio, right down to the pretty lips and petulant blue eyes...but the resemblance ends there.

Smith gives a polished comedic performance as Balfour, yet he also manages to tug at the heartstrings. Enduring first a patronizing interest from the town, which later becomes outright hatred, Balfour learns what it is to be a budding politician. What he learns will change him forever.

His endearing, goofy younger brother Maurie (the equally cute little Devon Bostick) is his innocent aide-de-campaign. Were it not for the presence of their galactically goofy but warmhearted Uncle Bingo (brilliant performance by my perennial favorite Donal Logue), these two boys would totally steal the show.

As it happens, they have a brilliant supporting cast of adults who are just as strange and lacking of any internal editor. The Balfour's mother, Bonnie (brilliant Alberta Watson) exposes herself emotionally in a trick interview with ex-boyfriend/tv anchor Mort McQuillan (a rip-roaring Kevin Jubinville). Hot on his young heels, Balfour must contend with the incumbent mayor, Kelly Milton (a staunch Rosemary Dunsmore).

The ever gorgeous Vivica A. Fox makes a welcome appearance as Balfour's supportive teacher Ms. Houston.

Hilarious misunderstandings, the town's relentless persecution (left over from Balfour's late father and his nervous breakdown), zippy dialogue and the best, freshest approach to swear words I've ever heard make this film a treat as well as a political spear in the gut. It is tempting to compare this film to SASQUATCH GANG, and easy to see how heavily influenced it was by NAPOLEON DYNAMITE.

Though released in 2006, and striking at the heart of the nasty Bush years, CITIZEN DUANE resonates just as well today. What I dislike about these productions is they are rarely pushed in the U.S. The entertainment from Canada is rapidly becoming superior to ours in all the good ways--and we are missing nearly 100% of it.

This superb film, which I think deserved a Best Foreign Oscar, is over four years old and yet I'm only the second reviewer here. Probably the last reviewer!

GET THIS and support Canadian film. It is the biggest favor you can do for cinema at the moment, aside from refining your taste in cinema. You'll do both by adding this great sleeper to your dvd collection.