Defining Moments: Check the Dictionary Under 'Cringe'
By Liam Lacey
Rating: D
The Canadian-made Defining Moments was the last film from Burt Reynolds before his death in 2018, though this is not one for the memorial reel.
Though Reynold’s face is featured on the film’s poster, the late star can’t be blamed for this would-be life-affirming dramedy from writer-director Stephen Wallis. Shot around Unionville, Ontario, the film follows an ensemble of characters facing personal crises over a period of months leading up to Christmas.
Sadly, no cheers for Burt’s last hurrah.
Hidden behind a goatee and large rose-coloured glasses, Reynolds plays the gruffly sardonic Chester, who has summoned his writer daughter Marina (Polly Shannon) from Los Angeles to spend time with him as he prepares for his demise, which he estimates is nine months away.
In a parallel father-daughter story, the newly separated and pregnant 41-year-old Laurel (Tammy Blanchard) moves in with her doctor father Edward (Eric Peterson). Shortlly after her move, Edward learns he is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease.
In another subplot, a depressed backpacker Dave (Dillon Casey) shoots off his ear while attempting suicide. While he recovers at a clinic run by Dr. Kelly (Graham Greene), his three friends board at Dr. Ed’s house.
A fourth story, which feels like a left-over Lifetime movie script, sees handsome commitment-phobic Jack (Shawn Roberts) lose his chef girlfriend, Teri (Kelly Van der Burg). He’s brought to his senses about the brevity of life by his sister, Lisa (Sienna Guillory) who tells him: “I have Multiple Sclerosis. Physically, I’m going to keep getting worse and pretty soon I’m going to die.”
While that’s possibly true for her character, according to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the condition “is not fatal except in rare circumstances and, on average, people in the MS community die of the same things as the rest of the population.”
PROUDLY SUPPORTS ORIGINAL-CIN
The script is no more credible when it comes to mental health. Dr. Ed’s mental confusion and his unfiltered cheerfulness are conflated, so he makes chipper jokes about attempted suicide, and puts the cat in his medicine bag by mistake.
When he walks in on his daughter in bed with a boarder named Suzie (Lara Jean Chorostecki), he splutters the word “lesbian” several times, which at least leaves the women laughing.
In another example of mental illness comedy, suicidal Dave learns to appreciate life from his hug-friendly, tragedy-scarred delusional roommate, Geoff (Jamie Spilchuk) who, like Dr. Ed, blurts out inappropriate sexual things.
Inasmuch as this queasy blend of mocking and mawkishness inspires any positive emotion, it’s sympathy for the cast.
Defining Moments. Directed and written by Stephen Wallis. Starring; Burt Reynolds, Eric Peterson, Graham Greene, Polly Shannon, Dillon Casey, Tanya Blanchard, Shaun Roberts, Sienna Guillory, Kelly Van der Burg, Lara Jean Chorostecki. Defining Moments is available on video-on-demand digital release on Oct. 8.