Canada PoliticsCanadians react to the Jack Layton biopic
CBC aired its made-for-TV biopic about former NDP leader Jack Layton on Sunday night.
'Jack' was set against the backdrop of the 2011 federal election and the weeks that followed, while chronicling the political rise of the late NDP leader and his relationship with his wife Olivia Chow. And, of course, it depicted Layton's battle with cancer.
[ Related: Olivia Chow considering a run for mayor of Toronto ]
It wasn't the pro-NDP propaganda piece that some in the media were concerned about. Certainly it highlighted Latyon's political views but it didn't ram it down our throats.
It included humour; it had elements of a love story; it gave viewers an insight into the 'behind the scenes' of a political campaign.
It was pure and unadulterated Canadiana — it's the type of production that CBC should be doing more of. Drop 'Mr. D' and 'Heartland' and bring on the Jean Chretien and Brian Mulroney biopics.
For the most part, the reviews were positive:
Here's one from Liberal insider and Sun News columnist Warren Kinsella published in the Toronto Sun:
Utterly missing from Jack is a hint, much less an explanation, for Layton’s extraordinary win in 2011.
That aside, Jack is an enjoyable film about a pretty extraordinary fellow. One who, like Moses, led his followers to the political promised land, but who never got the chance to go there with them.
Aaron Wherry of Maclean's wonders aloud if it was too soon for a Jack Layton movie but seemed to have enjoyed it.
Jack [is] a fine rendering of Jack Layton’s life, love, last campaign and final days. As much as can be conveyed in 88 minutes about a life spent practicing politics is neatly laid out.
[ Related: Too soon for a Jack Layton movie? ]
For the most part, the Twitterverse also gave a thumbs-up to the film.
#jackmovie Made me cry. Regardless of where you sit on the political scale, no one can deny his passion for Canada. #riplayton
— Allison Salz (@SUNAllisonSalz) March 11, 2013
The #jackmovieA good story telling of a Cdn hero. Don't matter your politics, Jack was a great man and political icon. #cdnpoli — ajproc ™ (@ajproc) March 11, 2013
How many Canadians are wiping their eyes right now? The #JackMovie was amazing. Tears shed all over again. #AndWeCanChangeTheWorld #cdnpoli
— Rosalyn Stevens (@rosalyndawn) March 11, 2013
And here's a Tweet from Conservative MP Patrick Brown
@oliviachow I really enjoyed the CBC #JackMovie. I hope it did him justice & honored your very special bond with him. He is missed. #cdnpoli — Patrick Brown (@brownbarrie) March 11, 2013
Even Sun News' Ezra Levant didn't have anything bad to say about the movie. Well, at least not about its content.
I can't recall another political biography that gave the subject's widow an editorial veto, and paid her too. With tax dollars. #MediaParty
— Ezra Levant (@ezralevant) March 10, 2013
(Photo courtesy of Reuters)
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