Thursday, November 12th 2009

By noah nemoy

Victoria Day

Written and Directed by David Bezmozgis

Starring: Mark Rendall, Holly Deveaux, Scott Beaudin and John Mavrogiannis

4/5

Victoria Day is one of those films that feels like a snapshot in time. A coming of age film it shows a week in the life of 16 year old Ben Spektor who has to deal with hockey, school, the search for a missing classmate, love, sex, friends, parents and fireworks in the week leading up to Victoria Day weekend. This first film of Toronto author David Bezmozgis had a limited summer indie realise but is now out on DVD. This is probably one of the best indie movies to have come out for in a while.

Set in 1988 North York, Ben Spektor (Mark Rendall) is the star of his hockey team while the entire city is obsessed with Gretzky’s Oilers Stanley Cup run. Considered by family, friends, and rivals alike to have the potential to be the next Gretzky, he’s pushed to excel at both hockey and school by his Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. While Ben is on the verge of adulthood, he seems trapped in the past and idolized the music and culture of the 60’s, along with his friends Sammy (John Mavrogiannis) and Noah (Scott Beaudin). But his world starts to fall apart when his rival and tormentor Jordan Chapam disappears at a Bob Dylan concert. He asked Ben to loan him five dollars for drugs at the concert and Ben is the last person to have seen him before his disappearance. The entire community becomes involved in the search and Ben starts to fall for and pursue Jordan’s sister Cayla (Holly Deveaux). Ben’s week becomes one of contradictions and hypocrisy. He is outraged by his friends trying to use the situation to get on the news or skip school but Ben doesn’t come forward with what he knows. His parents are angered that he’s ignoring his schoolwork by going out every night but are furious when he wants to give up hockey in favour of academics. At the same time that Ben feels that others are indifferent about Jordan’s disappearance, he’s going to parties or out with friends throughout the week. Throughout the movie Ben questions life and he doesn’t find easy answers.

If you’ve read David Bezmozgis’s best selling book “Natasha and Other Stories” you’ll notice that the main character Mark Berman is almost identical to Ben Spektor and both closely follow David Bezmozgis’s own autobiography. But while he might not be the most creative in relying heavily on his personal experiences, Bezmozgis does craft a story very well. Victoria Day was set and filmed in Toronto and all actors are locals. Mark Rendall is the only British actor having stared in Childstar and 30 Days of Night. Scott Beaudin has only had bit TV roles but excels as the fast talking bullshit artist Noah. John Mavrogiannis and Holly Deveaux both made their debut in this film, but both played their roles well. You can defiantly expect to see more of these actors in the future.

Victoria Day is a fairly short film running just an hour and a half, but it’s one of those movies where the acting, story, and directing blend together seamlessly. It doesn’t really say anything but it’s a good representation of those awkward teenage years we all faced before we realised that the world isn’t the same as it use to be when we were younger.

•Noah Nemoy

Tags: film