As my first review on IMDb, I will try my best to justify my rating without spoiling the plot beyond the premise given by the IMDb entry. That being said, if you want everything (themes, character development, etc.) to be a surprise, I advise all readers to stop reading and watch the film for themselves.
Drama: + The protagonist of this film is seen by everyone else as a prime example of a masculine man, what with his past as a Toronto Maple Leafs player, and the child he and his partner are supposed to take care of is rather feminine (wearing make-up being fashion conscious, etc.). This contrast is a great source for the conflict needed to move the plot. - Not to specify any part of the plot, but I found the "Fun and Games" beat takes a while; everything after "Fun and Games" happens in the last 25 minutes.
Spectacle: There really isn't anything good or bad in this department I can say other than that hockey (not "ice hockey," just hockey; otherwise it's not being respectful to the sport) is always a big thing in Canadian culture; personally, I'm sick of it, but I'm not a sports person anyway.
Substance: + As you could guess from the Drama section, gender expression and parenting are the main topics in this film, and I feel that they are well handled; i.e. Is it right to deny someone else's freedom of expression for the sake of societal conformity? What if that "someone else" is a child you are supposed to take care of? Is doing so considered necessary parenting? These are questions that form the change for the protagonist throughout the film (or last 25-30 minutes to be more accurate). - I have to ask, is it necessary to present masculinity and femininity as extremes in this film (particularly the latter)? I can see teenage or young adult men wearing make-up for femininity's sake, but not necessarily 10 year old boys (I could be wrong since I've never met a 10 year old boy wearing make-up). With the this sort of extreme situation (which I don't feel to be entirely justified in the movie), I think this film will have a harder time connecting to audiences and people from the real world.
Overall, as much as this film is flawed, I still find merit this film has to offer, and I didn't feel like my time is wasted. As such, this film is one of the better LGBT films I've seen in recent times.
Drama: + The protagonist of this film is seen by everyone else as a prime example of a masculine man, what with his past as a Toronto Maple Leafs player, and the child he and his partner are supposed to take care of is rather feminine (wearing make-up being fashion conscious, etc.). This contrast is a great source for the conflict needed to move the plot. - Not to specify any part of the plot, but I found the "Fun and Games" beat takes a while; everything after "Fun and Games" happens in the last 25 minutes.
Spectacle: There really isn't anything good or bad in this department I can say other than that hockey (not "ice hockey," just hockey; otherwise it's not being respectful to the sport) is always a big thing in Canadian culture; personally, I'm sick of it, but I'm not a sports person anyway.
Substance: + As you could guess from the Drama section, gender expression and parenting are the main topics in this film, and I feel that they are well handled; i.e. Is it right to deny someone else's freedom of expression for the sake of societal conformity? What if that "someone else" is a child you are supposed to take care of? Is doing so considered necessary parenting? These are questions that form the change for the protagonist throughout the film (or last 25-30 minutes to be more accurate). - I have to ask, is it necessary to present masculinity and femininity as extremes in this film (particularly the latter)? I can see teenage or young adult men wearing make-up for femininity's sake, but not necessarily 10 year old boys (I could be wrong since I've never met a 10 year old boy wearing make-up). With the this sort of extreme situation (which I don't feel to be entirely justified in the movie), I think this film will have a harder time connecting to audiences and people from the real world.
Overall, as much as this film is flawed, I still find merit this film has to offer, and I didn't feel like my time is wasted. As such, this film is one of the better LGBT films I've seen in recent times.