Dean Murdoch (Paul Spence) known as “Deaner” finally after enduring many “shit bands” achieves stardom in 1989 and has moved into his mansion where he shares his story.
Dean and his sister Jen (Star Slade) are adopted and advised of their Indigenous heritage late in their teens by their mother telling them the government told us to reveal nothing to you about your past “as it was best to grow up in a white world and leave the Indian behind”. As Dean remarked they shot children out of the reservation into the white world like a T-Shirt launcher gun. Dean is Métis and Jen a Blackfoot.
Dean grew up in a small steel town East Hayden, Manitoba described as in the middle of “butt fuck Canada”. There are a few jabs in the film at small town Canada where hockey is the only way out.
Dean’s life is converted from hockey jock to metalhead with the arrival of a satanic steamer trunk from his late father crammed with heavy metal paraphernalia and ephemera. His girlfriend’s aunt, May (Mary Walsh) is a former metal bassist and when her guitar is amped to the max it blows Dean through the wall and at that point he knew he had metal flowing in his blood.
There is a strong streak of juvenile humour with farting, beer swilling, car and bus chases but discretely the film gently reminds the viewer in a non polemic manner of the racism and stereotyping prevalent in Canada directed against its Indigenous population. In one scene a delightfully raunchy and sleazy college agent Dack (Stephen McHattie) ready to sign Dean to a 4-year hockey scholarship replies to Dean’s question if there are any Indians on the hockey team. No there are none as we like to keep it clean.
The movie is a combination of genres and rich with homage to many a teen movie and while attempting a neat characterization I was met with a melange but if Dean were asked I believe his response would be don’t torture yourself and just sit back and have some fun and ROCK ON! Good advice.
Oh, and his secret to success a mixture of the Métis fiddle and warlock bass.
Mary Walsh as May absolutely rocks. Stephen McHattie as Dack hits the perfect cord akin to a William S. Borroughs’ Tom the Priest performance in “Drugstore Cowboy”.
Excellent soundtrack and you won’t run from the room listening to metal! The Deaner’ 89 Studio Band knows its chops!
Directed by Sam McGlynn. Written by Paul Spence.
Available on digital and on demand.
Trailer can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZs-5v_lR4Q&t=1s
RKS 2024 Film Rating 81/100,
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