Canadian Bacon Review
Oh, to be back in the '90s… when the idea of a war with Canada was so absurd that it became the premise for two comedy films: South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and Canadian Bacon. The latter, directed by Michael Moore, is a surprisingly prophetic satire starring Alan Alda as the President of the United States in the aftermath of the Cold War. With no clear enemy to rally against, the administration fears the American public might begin turning their attention to real domestic issues. So, they hatch a plan: restart tensions with Russia to reignite a sense of national urgency.
However, Russia, who is economically and politically exhausted from the previous Cold War, laughs off the provocation. With that plan falling apart, the search for a new "threat" continues until a scuffle at a hockey game in Canada gives the President’s advisor (played by Kevin Pollak) a sudden idea: what if Canada became the next Cold War adversary?
From there, the film launches into a full-blown propaganda campaign to turn American public opinion against their peaceful northern neighbours. (Sound oddly familiar?) The core of the film follows Sheriff Bud Boomer (John Candy) and his deputy (Rhea Perlman), who, after losing their jobs at a weapons factory due to the drop in military spending, are swept up in the nationalist hysteria. Spurred on by political rhetoric and a sense of lost purpose, they take their aggression across the border—armed with surplus weapons from their now-defunct factory.
Kevin J. O’Connor and Rip Torn round out the cast, with Torn playing an aggressive U.S. general who fully embraces the absurd mission, adding to the film’s biting satire of military-industrial interests.
As I mentioned earlier, Canadian Bacon feels borderline prophetic in light of today’s geopolitical tension. It’s definitely a product of its time (some jokes haven’t aged perfectly) but it still delivers clever commentary and solid laughs. My only serious complaint: casting John Candy not as a Canadian is utterly blasphemous. Still, his performance is fantastic, and it’s a bittersweet reminder of his talent, as this was his final film before his passing.
Alan Alda also delivers a standout performance as the unnamed President. As a lifelong M*A*S*H fan, seeing him in such a prominent satirical role was a real treat. His character’s anonymity (he’s simply referred to as “the President” throughout) only adds to the universal critique of political leadership the film is aiming for.
Ultimately, Canadian Bacon is a hilarious and bizarre time capsule—a reminder of when comedy films dared to be smart and theatrical releases actually featured satire with teeth. In today’s climate, where laughter often feels hard to come by, this film offers a bit of much-needed levity. It’s also a weirdly nostalgic reflection on how laughable the idea of conflict with Canada once was—before the absurd started to feel a little too real.
