Canadian Bacon

Sometimes Sizzling Satire

Canadian Bacon is Michael Moore's first attempt at fiction. Moore first made a name for himself with Roger & Me, chronicling the plight of Flint, Michigan in the absence of General Motors. Bacon opens up with recently downsized slobs who, until recently, worked for a defense contractor. As might be expected, the movie is merciless in its assault on both the CEO of the company and the politicians who work with them. Moore is not above going after laughs at the expense of the cartoonish Americans, played fairly capably by John Candy, Rhea Perlman, and Bill Nunn. Alan Alda is reasonably amusing as a waffling president who is desperate for something to revitalize the country in the absence of the Cold War. Dan Aykroyd and Steven Wright both have fantastic cameos as Canadian lawmen. Sadly, for every great laugh, there is a bit too much dead time surrounding it. As with so many comedies, it is frontloaded with the best material. Oddly, the movie doesn't seem funny at all on repeat viewings, even though the jokes still seem funny in isolation.