Score: A Hockey Musical wins over some locals, but virtually no one else
The first onslaught of critical feedback is out after the world premiere of Score: A Hockey Musical—Mike McGowan’s filmic ode to pucks, NHL prodigies and has-been pop stars—kicked off the festival last night. Did it flounder in hokey, parochial splendour? Or did it revel in its playful take on our stereotypical national treasures? The reaction was what we’d expect from a musical based on corny local jokes. See the roundup after the jump.
“Score is as deep as a Don Cherry rant, but it’s also a crowd-pleaser, one that doesn’t require season tickets to the Maple Leafs to appreciate.”—Peter Howell [Toronto Star]
“[Director Mike] McGowan wanted to make a hockey musical, damn it, and that’s exactly what he did. What’s the problem?”—S.T. Vanairsdale [Movie Line]
“With all the assembled musical talent and choreographer Amy Wright’s fancy footwork, you keep expecting this amiable underachiever to eventually rise to a loftier occasion, just like you’re hoping Newton-John might at some point turf her duet partner and deliver a Grease-type (or at least Xanadu-type) showstopper. Better to leave any expectations on the sidelines.”—Michael Rechtshaffen [The Hollywood Repoter]
“The notion of a hockey musical is both ingenious and outrageous, and much of the film’s charm lies in the sheer showbiz bravado of the concept.”—Brian D. Johnson [Maclean’s]
“How fitting that the setting is Toronto—this thing plays like the Leafs.”—Rick Groen [Globe and Mail]
“[Score is] a lite-rock opera with lyrics composed of clunky dialogue and a plot stitched from sports underdog tropes.”—[USA Today]
“Don’t expect this musical with Olivia Newton-John in U.S. theaters.”—Lou Lumenick [New York Post]
“As for the film itself, an American audience—and let’s face it, it’s unlikely there will be much of one—will probably not be nearly as tickled by cameos from Walter Gretzky and George Stroumboulopoulos.”—Steven Zeitchik [LA Times]
Walked out half-way through. How embarrassing that this piece of junk opened TIFF let alone got chosen to be a part of TIFF.
Combining hockey and music is hardly a new idea anyway, there are dozens of songs about hockey including Blues Element’s own Hockey Strike Blues. (check it out on Youtube)
I’m surprised the festival had the gall to run ads before the gala screening proclaiming their love of original ideas and concepts. The film is strictly by-the-numbers, predictable pap. The cameos are gratuitous and annoying (especially Nelly Furtado), the supporting cast appeared to be struggling to spit out some of the lyrics in the songs, and once you get over the fact that it’s Toronto-in-your-face-all-the-time, you’ll realize there’s no substance or originality to it.
Sure ain’t gonna help make TIFF bigger than Cannes
What a piece of garbage this film was, once again Canada you have failed me.
As a Canadian, this movie makes me want to move to America. Even Jersey Shore!
If you’re a hockey addict… this movie might cure you!
Will live forever in the ’embarrassingly bad Canadiana’ section in the library of congress.
How bad this movie is not what surprises me. How it got funded is what blows my mind.
Score, A Hockey Musical further perpetuates the idea that Canada is a film industry backwater that churns out amateurish tripe aimed at half-wits, who unfortunately will also be disappointed with this movie—surprisingly, there is not even one talking beaver.
shame on everyone involved.
Shame is right.
Perhaps an all-time low. Not even kitsch fun (or funny). Simply humiliating. A groan inducing embarrassment.
If they (Hollywood, the world film community, anyone who breathes oxygen) didn’t think we were rank amateurs when it comes to film making and film appreciation, they certainly will now.
Oh… my… lord.
I cannot get over how negative all of these comments are! The film was fun! The audience burst out into spontaneous applause during the opening night screening! It is totally ridiculous, and just…FUN! Please excuse my boldness, but lighten up!
I agree with Marleen. This movie was such fun, the people who didn’t enjoy it, have to lighten up, and be able to make fun of ourselves as Canadians. A hockey musical, while perhaps predictable, is something that only us quirky Canadians would have the balls to come up with!
This was an amazing movie! So fun and definitely original… anyone who argues it clearly doesnt have a sophisticated sense of humour. Who are all of you anyways, why so angry?? Just have fun!
Life is short. Then you die…….!! I’m sorry, really sorry about that last statement. But please…we ARE Canadian and we are a very funny, self-deprecating, intelligent bunch of people. This film blatantly celebrates our uniqueness but contains universal messages as well. So come on people, a little levity in these tough times certainly can’t hurt!
After seeing the preview for this movie, I was seriously embarrassed for us hockey loving canadians, what’s more Canadian then a kid who plays hockey and hates to fight and loves music? Is that a joke? Music and hockey may be very Canadian but they do not belong together on the same screen! What kind of kid that plays hockey does not like fighting? That’s like saying there’s a kid who plays soccer but he doesn’t like to kick the ball! Hockey and fighting go hand in hand I’m sorry to say. This movie is not Canadian at all. Have you ever even been to an Leafs game? How the whole crowd stands up when there’s a fight? This movie just gives Americans another reason to make fun of us and make us loop like a bunch of babies, thanks a lot
Dear Canada . . and especially Toronto:
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a highly-publicized musical about hockey already played in Toronto in 2008, at the Toronto Fringe Festival. I know. I co-wrote it. It was called Hockey: the musical! and played for seven performances at the Helen Gardner Phalin Playhouse, and was commissioned for private performance by the Toronto Gay Hockey Association at the Betty Oliphant Theatre. It was reviewed in The Toronto Star, XTra, by PuckDaddy (Greg Wyshinski) at Yahoo Sports, and was also featured on Deadspin. Other articles about it appeared in ESPN Magazine, The New York Times, and Canadian blogs like dilletantesdiary.com. There’s a picture on our website (hockeythemusical.com) of our cast with Toronto’s mayor, David Miller, and our script is in the archives of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
I’m a bit disturbed, not that a different hockey musical has been made, but that much of the Canadian commentary which we received now seems to be playing out, in similar ways, against “Score: a hockey musical!”
I’m American, and the intent of our company, Off Sides Entertainment, Inc., was something a bit different from Score: a Hockey Musical!. Our intent was a poignant story engaging Canada’s most reverent national metaphor: hockey. However, we were also intent on creating a story which Canada is SO far ahead of the “states” on in your national dialogues, (and even laws): the civil issues regarding homosexuality, the controversies surrounding homosexuals in sports, and Canada’s intellectual rightness over the issues, even though it seems, in ways, Canada’s heart has not yet caught up with its intellect on the issues which run deep, regardless of national politics and philosphy.
The reviews for “Score: a hockey musical!” and our musical, “Hockey: the musical!” share similar writing challenges worth noting. CAN hockey, as a musical, be used a legitmate vehicle for storytelling? If so, how does a writer pay homage to the iconic game of Bobby Orr while using the sport, simulatneously, for conveying a weightier story through “musical” conventions, be it on film or on stage?
Off Sides Entertainment intended that our little Toronto Fringe “musical” show be a sort of “out-of-country” try out. And it taught us much. Reviews were mediocre for the most part — some were over-the-top in their praise, some strangely bashed it while not seeming to have any “authority” or otherwise academic reasons for doing so.
On the other hand, the show certainly touched a national nerve in Canada. It sparked thousands of hits to our website and on related sports sites. Much of the “passionate” blogging about the show (by people who had not seen it) called us shamefully irreverent for using the sport in a musical. Titles of reviews and articles reflected a tinge of homophobia in Canada which, quite frankly, we really hadn’t expected. One blog post even mentioned that baseball bats might be a good way to stop our musical from going on.
Like I said. Disturbing.
Most of our performances at the Fringe were sold out, and over a hundred people were turned away from our final performance because tickets were not available.
Clearly, Canada feels passionately — perhaps too passionately? — about the co-minglings of hockey and musical theatre.
that.
“Hockey: the musical!” is still alive in its development. It’s currently being adapted into a major motion picture (without music) and the world premiere of the “Original Toronto Cast” recording of “Hockey” was released this past March. One of its songs was number one for a while on broadwaysocietycafe.com, and songs from the show have recieved both Canadian and American air time.
Off Sides Entertainment wishes “Score: a hockey musical!” great success, but, more important, we hope that both the critics and all Canadians will pause to consider its kind-of-funny-but-kind-of-not visceral reactions to hockey-meets-musical. The “reactions” of a society, I think, are far more important than a “musical” ever will be — be it on film or on stage.
For more information about “Hockey: the musical!” please visit hockeythemusical.com or contact Off Sides Entertainment at [email protected]. The original cast recording is available through cdbaby.com or on iTunes through Amazon.com.
Rick Leidenfrost-Wilson
President, Off Sides Entertainment, Inc.
This is better than some of the other Canadian crap we have to contend with (i.e. Wind at My Back, Anne of Green Gables, basically anything Kevin Sullivan churns out). I’d take this film any day over any other forms of Canadiana.
I am a serious hockey fan, but I loved this movie. It celebrates Canadians and is self – depracating. Not all audiences need 2 and half hours of dialogue, and gun wailing to have fun! Great, entertaining movies. People shouldn’t be scared off from seeing it my the closed minded and seemingly arrogant opinions on this forum. Be Canadian – make up your OWN mind!