Starbuck

A L'ensemble des Films Christal presentation of the Caramel Films production. (Worldwide sales: eOne Intl., Toronto.) Created by Andre Rouleau. Directed by Ken Scott. Script, Scott, Martin Petit.With: Patrick Huard, Julie LeBreton, Antoine Bertrand. (French dialogue)A potent comedy of genetic chaos, "Starbuck" is pointedly contemporary and from time to time cloying, but certain to draw attention because of its premise and central character -- a sperm donor that has wound up fathering 100s and wishes to remain anonymous. Insufficient edge can make positioning tough with this Quebecois laffer, although person to person will benefit from Patrick Huard's funny, touching lead performance along with a core indisputable fact that might have once qualified as sci-fi however appears perfectly plausible. As recommended within an opening flashback towards the late 1980s, once the rules were looser, ne'er-do-well Montreal meat delivery guy David Wozniak (Huard) designed a total of 648 sperm donations at $35 a pop (hence his apparent insufficient enthusiasm, to do the job otherwise the money). Two decades later, uncle and delinquent lawyer Paul (the funny Antoine Bertrand) notifies David that his earlier deposits have matured into 533 grown ups, 142 who wish to meet him. The discretion laws and regulations which have stored David anonymous each one of these years are now being challenged in the court, which only contributes to David's worries: He's $80,000 indebted to gangsters who're delivering leg breakers to his house and, consistent with the theme, his unhappy girlfriend Valerie (Julie LeBreton) is pregnant. "Starbuck," the title which refers to not the coffee but instead to some famous Canadian Holstein bull that sired 1000's of calves (around the same time frame David was planting his anonymous oats), echoes the current docu "Donor Unknown" which spoke of a genuine-existence serial donor whose a large number of children wound up hooking up on the web and meeting their biological father. As the timing of both films causes it to be unlikely that author-helmer Ken Scott and co-scribe Martin Petit were directly inspired by "Donor Unknown," they've grabbed about the concept inside a timely way and handled rid of it. Still, if "Starbuck" had pivoted positioned on the donor problem, it might have in all probability petered out early, but David's ongoing personal calamities keep anyone plotline from ruling. Because the least productive family member meat business, David is locked in low esteem by his siblings and father, who pretty much expect him to foul up just about anything he's designed to do. The $80,000 debts are hanging over his mind, and Valerie is less than sure she would like David in her own baby's existence he's something of the baby themself. Thus, the category-action suit, which may pressure the sperm bank release a David's identity, supplies a very welcome route for him to become better person. Getting received profiles and photos of his various progeny, they know who they really are even when they do not know him, and that he begins serving as their protector angel -- saving one junkie daughter from an overdose, helping one drunken heir right into a cab -- with techniques that form the good thing from the film. You will find also extended musical montages and a minimum of one sequence -- where a goth kid ineptly plays soccer with David's family team -- that simply feels as though filler. The upshot from the film, however, is really a portrait of the guy being a better one, a concept that resonates despite all of the easy jokes and formulaic buildings. Production values are usually quite good, although a few of the music is really a tad psychologically instructive.Camera (color), Pierre Gill editor, Yvann Thibaudeau music, David Lafleche art director, Danielle Labrie costume director, Sharon Scott seem (Dolby Digital), Arnaud Derimay supervisory seem editor/seem designer, Pierre-Jules Audet stunt coordinator, Mike Chute line producer, Danny Rossner connect producer, Valerie D'Auteuil, casting, Pierre Pageau, Daniel Poisson. Examined at Toronto Film Festival (Gala Presentations), Sept. 14, 2011. Running time: 108 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com