Hey, Viktor!: Adding a Lowbrow Dimension to Canadian Cringe

By John Kirk

Rating: C+

For a redemption story-slash-mockumentary that relies heavily on cringe-level, lowbrow humour, Hey, Viktor! has a few funny merits. That it owes its inspiration to a film far more applaudable than itself might be its biggest cringe factor of them all. How could a story like Smoke Signals inspire a film like this?

In 1998, Smoke Signals — written, directed, and produced by Indigenous professionals —became a huge success resting on its authenticity in presenting Indigenous North Americans as realistically as possible for the time. The film was regarded as warm, possessed of a quirky humour, and a theme of reconciliation. It still holds favourable reviews today.

Cody Lightning played young Victor in that film, which gives way to Hey, Viktor ! (The change of spelling is explained in the film but it’s not noteworthy enough to unspool here).

The story: Lightning is still known on the rez for his childhood role. However, he has fallen far below those glory days, performing in porn films and shilling for fracking companies in television commercials. Hailed by familiar calls of “Hey Victor!,” a familiar line from Smoke Signals, he is followed around by a documentary crew.

Cody is knee-deep in alcohol, partying, and raunchy activity. When he learns his wife and two kids are about to leave him for, ironically, an up-and-coming Indigenous actor far more talented and successful than him, he decides to stop messing around and to make his masterpiece: the sequel to Smoke Signals: Smoke Signals II – Still Smoking. He then discovers that, like everything in his life, it’s nothing but a load of smoke.

There is a lot of toilet humour in this film. While the raunch factor is heralded as one of its major strengths, it’s indicative of how cheap humour passes for lazy comedy. The moments of extreme shock are laughable, like a naked Cody, covered in his own feces, being hosed down in the backyard after an all-night bender.

But that can’t sustain the whole film. There are moments when the pace slows down noticeably, taking away from the pathos it hopes to achieve in its pursuit of Indigenous identity. Even the background poster advertising an imaginary production of Residential Schools: The Musical is good for the 10 seconds it’s visible.

The Indigenous focus of the film is subverted by the humour. The characters all seem to be straight out of Letterkenny or Trailer Park Boys, which makes it more of a mainstream culture style of entertainment. Meanwhile, Colin Mochrie, a true Canadian comedic actor, is wasted in his straight-man role as the documentary host/interventionist. His part could have been developed into something that included more sophisticated humour.

Another shocking, unexpected dimension is Cody’s willingness to do porn films. Lightning’s full nudity may have been a bit unnecessary, but it does give the audience a sense of his commitment to the role.

The premise is completely ludicrous, but it’s based on the audience is willing to give it a chance.

Admittedly, it could be seen that there is a generated sense of wanting this film to succeed. The redemption arc takes a while to happen, but it’s there and this could open the door to the audience’s willingness to forgive its slowness and limited acting range.

Somehow this is justified in the end when Cody seeks to make amends. Even after his sequel understandably meets with the expected level of acclaim (none), you still want him to succeed. After all, that’s the purpose of a redemption story, even a ludicrous one.

In the end, it’s an attempted goofy comedy that has a few genuinely cringe-level funny moments but doesn’t live up to the film that inspired it.

Hey, Viktor! Written and directed by Cody Lightning. Starring Cody Lightning, Hannah Cheesman, Simon Baker, Conway Kootenay, Phil Burke, Adam Beach, and Colin Mochrie. In select theatres March 15 and on VOD April 16.