Deaner '89
| Deaner '89 | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Sam McGlynn |
| Written by | Paul Spence |
| Produced by | Kyle Irving Paul Spence |
| Starring | Paul Spence Star Slade Will Sasso Stephen McHattie Mary Walsh |
| Cinematography | Samy Inayeh |
| Edited by | Reginald Harkema |
| Music by | Justin Delorme Paul Spence |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Mongrel Media |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
Deaner '89 is a 2024 Canadian action comedy film directed by Sam McGlynn. It stars Paul Spence, Star Slade, Will Sasso, and Mary Walsh. Spence plays Dean Murdoch, a metalhead character from the FUBAR series.[2]
The film was released in theaters on September 6, 2024.[1][3]
Despite the Murdoch character having previously appeared in the FUBAR films, the film is not considered a FUBAR sequel, but a standalone film.[4]
Plot
[edit] | This section needs an improved plot summary. (July 2025) |
In 1989, Murdoch and his sister first become interested in heavy metal music, soon after learning that their adoptive parents have hidden from them that they are Indigenous. Dean is Métis[5] and his sister is Blackfoot. They go on a trip to Calgary to see a band.
Cast
[edit]- Paul Spence as Dean
- Star Slade as Jen
- Will Sasso as Glen
- Stephen McHattie as Dack
- Mary Walsh as May
- Kevin McDonald as Principal Gil
- Maddy Foley as Kitty
Inspiration
[edit]The film's content related to Indigenous identity was partly inspired by Spence's own family history. His father was adopted into a non-Indigenous family in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and only learned as an adult that his parents were Métis (and that his ancestor, Scottish-Métis leader Andrew Spence, had been part of the North-West Resistance).[6] According to Spence, "It seemed like such a natural fit to take some of my father's stories, as well as my own, to create something fun and funny, but that also had some heart and authenticity — where audiences will laugh their asses off, but also learn something about Canada's complicated history."[7]
Reception
[edit]Thom Ernst of Original Cin gave the film a B- and wrote, "The comedy here doesn't pull punches — big gags, big cameos, big laughs. Not all of it works, but when it does, it works beautifully."[8]
Andrew Parker of TheGATE.ca gave the film a score of 3 out of 10, writing, "Unassured, scattered, and trying too hard to relive past glories while simultaneously failing to make viewers forget about everything that came before, Deaner '89 is a messy vanity project that never settles on a satisfying hook on which to hang all of its tired jokes about metal heads, hosers, and givin'r."[9]
Richard Crouse was more positive, awarding the film 3.5/5 stars, asserting that Spence "weaves humor into every scene, but never settles for the easy joke."[10]
Awards
[edit]| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Screen Awards | 2025 | Best Lead Performance in a Comedy Film | Paul Spence | Nominated | [11] |
| Best Supporting Performance in a Comedy Film | Will Sasso | Nominated | |||
| Mary Walsh | Nominated | ||||
| John Dunning Best First Feature | Sam McGlynn | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Song | Paul Spence, Michael Phillip Heppner, Ian Kerr Wilson, Guillaume Marc Antoine Tremblay, Stan Pietrusik "The Power of the Tribe" |
Nominated | |||
| Best Makeup | Doug Morrow | Nominated | |||
| Best Stunt Coordination | Sean Skene, Rick Skene | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "'Deaner '89' Traces the Origin Story of Canada's Favourite Metalhead in New Exclusive Clip". Exclaim!. August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
- ^ "Will Sasso, Kevin McDonald, Paul Spence Set to Star in 'Deaner '89' Action Comedy (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. May 30, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
- ^ "Deaner '89 trailer: Paul Spence recreates a classic Canadian comedy character (exclusive)". JoBlo.com. July 10, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
- ^ Jen Zoratti, "Banger of an ’80s origin story". Winnipeg Free Press, September 6, 2024.
- ^ Marko Djurdjić, "'Deaner '89' Brings Humour, Heart and Headbanging to Stories of Canadian Atrocities". Exclaim!, September 5, 2024.
- ^ Ward, Dennis (29 October 2024). "Paul Spence reviving iconic role in Deaner '89". APTN News. Vol. Face to Face. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ Hudson, Alex (19 August 2024). "'Deaner '89' Traces the Origin Story of Canada's Favourite Metalhead in New Exclusive Clip". Exclaim!. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ Thom Ernst (September 4, 2024). "Deaner '89: Canuck Headbanger Saga Continues, Bro… Just Don't Say Fubar!". Original-Cin. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
- ^ "Deaner '89 Review". TheGATE.ca. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Crouse, Richard. "DEANER '89: 3 ½ STARS. "You're never too old to start givin'er."". richardcrouse.ca. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "2025 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS CBC/RADIO-CANADA NOMINATIONS BY PROGRAM". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, March 25, 2025.
External links
[edit]- Deaner '89 at IMDb