Puck Hogs

I saw this film at the festival and it was just so bad that people walked out. I watch a lot of movies and I have never once walked out of a film but I was so bored and even literally offended by how bad the jokes in this movie were that I almost walked out. I almost walked out of "Threesome" when I was younger at the theatre and then I almost walked out of this movie years later, and the only reason I didn't was I was worried the cast and or crew would be there and I did not want to offend anybody. I found myself looking at my watch thinking the movie must be a half hour in and seeing only eight minutes had passed. The entire audience was pretty quiet through out except for a few forced sounding/polite laughs. The acting was not very good (tho def not terrible) and the big problem was the writing/direction of the film, the jokes were all very bad and predictable and yes the acting could have been better, just seems like a really amateurish production to me.

Ever since Trailer Park Boys, everyone in Canada has been trying to copy it and failing big time. This movie steals all it's ideas and "jokes" from multiple sources, everything from TPB to an Atom and His Package song. To make it even worse, the attempt at a fake documentary is ruined by having 3 to 5 cameras in every scene. I would have respected the movie a little if they had just tried to make it a regular movie. The production makes Cock'd Gunns seem real. Never see this.

The cover art / poster of this movie is misleading. The sexed-up girl in front stages it like a raunchy buddy comedy. The only thing I'd change is that cover art. It markets the movie wrongly, and I expect those who want to watch the movie it appears to be will end up disappointed. It's more introspective than that, isn't sexist, and is an often-funny look at a struggling local Canadian hockey team. The players reunite to give the championship one last shot, while under the threat of losing their team altogether. There are some great hockey standards, like the hotheaded Russian goalie and the guy perpetually on the bench (afraid of the "corners"). I saw it on Netflix with my husband, who loves the Montreal Canadians, and we both loved it for its irreverent, character-based humor. It's FX's The League (the main character reminds me so much of Pete) meets Trailer Park Boys. The low-budget look paired well with the down-home feel and the characters seemed like authentic townie Canadians. I feel like we found a hidden gem, especially since other reviews are mostly negative. I highly recommend this film, especially to those who enjoy sports, root for underdogs and like "mockumentaries" as I do.

I went into Puck Hogs hoping for a decent sports comedy, but unfortunately, it misses the mark on almost every level. The plot is flimsy, the jokes feel forced and outdated, and the characters are more like caricatures than anything believable or relatable. It tries hard to be a quirky underdog story but never finds its rhythm.

That being said, there are a few moments that made me chuckle, and you can tell the cast is having fun, which adds a tiny bit of charm. The hockey scenes are serviceable, and there's some heart buried beneath the cringeworthy gags and uneven pacing.

However, the film just doesn't hold up overall. It's a slog to get through and feels like a low-budget attempt to recreate far better sports comedies from the past. While not the worst thing I've ever seen, it's certainly not something I'd recommend unless you're a die-hard fan of hockey-related humor.

This review offers a fair critique, giving the movie some credit while justifying the low rating.

...but I was pleasantly surprised. I mean, it's not going to win any academy awards, but I found it entertaining and funny. It was done in a documentary style. I'd call it the "Spinal Tap" of Hockey movies. It could also be compared to "The Office" in the style of film making that was used. Of course, it's not as good as either of those examples, but I did find myself laughing out loud a few times. I was a little intimidated by the reviews done by Canadians, but I find that it reminded me of when I played in a rec league. Maybe the jokes were old hat to them, and that's why they didn't find them funny, but to me it wasn't the same old thing. The plot was fairly simplistic, but the comradery and tensions between teammates and opponents felt real to me. If you are like me, and HAVE to watch any and all hockey movie made, I'd suggest you give it a chance. I'd like to hear some more reviews to see if anyone agrees with me.