Starbuck (Ken Scott, 2011): Canada

Reviewed by Andrea Uttenthal. Viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, 2012.

What would you do, if you discovered that the baby you and your girlfriend is expecting is actually not your firstborn, but No. 534?

Starbuck is a feel-good comedy about the perpetual man-child David Wozniak (Patrick Huard), who is confronted with the fact that his casual donations under the pseudonym “Starbuck” at the sperm bank in the late ’80s has resulted in him being the biological father of 533 children – 142 of whom have filed a class action lawsuit demanding that his name will be revealed to of them. All David thought he was doing was making multiple sperm donations in order to earn some money (as the clinic paid $35 a donation), but by an error the clinic only used his sperm, which has resulted in him suddenly having hundreds of offsprings.
David works as a delivery man at his family-owned butcher shop, but isn’t doing his job with great satisfaction among his brothers and co-workers at the family business. When he is not disappointing them or bailing on his too-good-for-him girlfriend Valérie (Julie Le Breton), who turns out to be pregnant and doesn’t want David to be involved in the matter, he’s also getting his head dunked into a bathtub full of water by thugs to whom he owes the amount of $80.000. David vows to change his life around for both his girlfriends (and their baby’s) sakes as well as for his own good, since he is a very irresponsible adult. The only one who knows about David’s unfortunate situation is his friend and wannabe lawyer Paul (Antoine Bertrand), who is in to help David winning the lawsuit, which means enough money to pay off his debt. A lawyer representing the fertility clinic hands “Starbuck” a file folder with the names and profiles of those 142 children wanting to find their biological father.  David surreptitiously involves himself in the lives of his offsprings acting as a sort of guardian angel, to prove to himself that he is indeed turning his life around, of course without letting them know who he really is.

Patrick Huard, who plays David Wozniak aka “Starbuck”, is perfectly cast as the ultimate nice guy thrust into an absurd situation, but his constant bemusement allied with his endearing schemes to infiltrate the lives of his test tube children, makes both Starbuck the man and Starbuck the movie very lovable and indeed humorous.

The film benefits greatly from director Ken Scott’s keen eye for detail and loving treatment of Montreal, which is represented through vibrant colors that accurately depicts the city’s distinct beauty and culture. The story reveals in a chronologically order and we follow David a long as he both get acquainted with his children and himself. The film is marked by catchy, funny and sarcastic dialogue that can’t help bringing a smile to your face throughout the whole film. It’s a film that works in spite of itself, one that always seems to be on the verge of silliness, yet always manages to restrain itself at just the right moments.

The Canadian comedy about “Starbuck” won this years Audience Choice Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, which just emphasizes the fact that this film it’s a must see. All I can say i that you won’t be barking up the wrong tree, if you choose to go watch this film!