The sub-genre of Canuxploitation isn’t particularly well-known, but for those who have some experience with these peculiar works of Canadian cinema, there resides a world of fascinating (and often quite obscure) works that have become quite popular in small but dedicated circles, many of the films acquiring cult status over the years. The majority are either extremely trashy action films, or sinister independent horrors that are as terrifying as they are oddly endearing. However, like with any artistic movement, there are the outliers, and many will often draw attention to the fact that the one film that defines Canuxploitation is an outright comedy, in the form of FUBAR. The film, which was directed by Michael Dowse, who wrote it in collaboration with the film’s stars, is a hilarious and irreverent mockumentary that follows a few weeks in the lives of Dean and Terry, two members of the “headbanger” subculture, who would much rather prefer to sit on their porch, gulping down copious amounts of beer and playing in their amateur metal band, rather than doing anything even vaguely productive with their day. It takes a fly-on-the-wall approach to looking at their daily routine, which is suddenly disturbed with the arrival of some very distressing news, which causes them both to question not only their friendship, but their own mortality – all the while making sure that, even when dealing with unforeseen challenges, they are having a good time. The first of what was to become a franchise following these characters, FUBAR is something special, a daring and hilariously irreverent comedy that doesn’t take itself seriously at all, even when the heart of the story is very much rooted in some more grave matters, making its peculiar execution all the more unforgettable.

The mockumentary format is one that has been tried and tested, and ever since Rob Reiner and a group of now-iconic comedians stepped in front of a camera to make This Is Spinal Tap several decades ago, many filmmakers have made use of the format, in the hopes of capturing that lightning-in-a-bottle brilliance, which has yet to be replicated in as raw and unforgettable a form as that iconic film (perhaps with the exception of Christopher Guest’s films, as he stands as inarguably the master of the format). Perhaps its a bold claim, but FUBAR is perhaps the closest any filmmaker has gotten since – it may not be as polished or well-composed as other similar films, but this is the precise quality that makes it so successful, since the raw nature of the filmmaking facilitating some very earnest comedy that is far more compelling than the more nuanced entries into this genre of filmmaking. Much of this comes from the artistic process undertaken by Dowse and his two stars, Dave Lawrence and Paul Spence, who play the central roles, and are credited as co-writers, having conceived of this story alongside the director and “written” it through improvisation. There’s always something so unique about a film crafted without a coherent script, but rather a rough narrative guideline, with much of the humour coming from the fact that this story wasn’t conceived fully at the start, but rather unfolded naturally, leading to the most authentic kind of comedy, produced on the spot by a pair of very funny individuals that are fully immersed in the world they have created, and show themselves as being entirely willing to take these characters wherever is necessary to find a genuine laugh.

It’s not difficult to tell the authenticity that exudes from FUBAR, with this film consistently striving to present as genuine a picture of this sub-culture as possible. There isn’t a single moment where the film reveals that it is a work of fiction, until the final credits. There’s a certain admirability that comes with the metaphorical action of keeping a straight face, and part of the charm of this film is that it legitimately wants the viewer to believe that it is a real documentary, rather than one fabricated by a group of mischievous comedians. This is exactly where the hilarity is at its purest, since we are consistently led to believe that what we’re seeing is real, a low-budget documentary produced by an inexperienced director who set out to capture the lives of a group of people that may seem like caricatures, but are realistic enough to suspend disbelief. Credit must be given to Lawrence and Spence for the extent to which they show themselves willing to take these characters – more professional actors would be vehemently against both the physical exertion and moral debauchery that this duo put themselves through, and while these are not performances that can be considered good in the traditional sense, being vulgar and excessive in a way that can be grating to those who struggle to get onto the wavelength of these characters, there’s a certain rugged appeal to seeing how far they can take these idiotic individuals, without becoming morally dubious, or actually causing themselves (or others) physical harm, which seems to be a consistent threat with a film such as this, which is under the frequent pressure to find humour in situations that are not always ripe for comedic exploitation – yet, somehow they consistently succeed, and make FUBAR an unexpectedly brilliant work of social subversion.

Interestingly, despite the excessive and often extremely absurd comedy that borders on profane, FUBAR is an unexpectedly moving film, carrying a kind of compassion that we’d likely not expect based on just the premise. There’s an emotional sincerity to this film that is quite wonderful, and it often seems to contain a real fondness for its characters, which isn’t something that can be said particularly often for comedic films, especially those intent on showing a side of society normally regarded as lower-class or inferior, whether in status or social principles. FUBAR is very funny and portrays the two protagonists as complete morons – but yet, it somehow manages to never be even vaguely mean-spirited, finding the heartwarming humour in these excessive situations in which it places these eccentric characters. It’s not often that we can find a film that centres on themes as grave as a life-threatening cancer diagnosis, drug addiction or a brutal accident that results in a horrifying death, while still being outrageously funny and filled to the brim with a kind of earnest humour that draws our attention to the inconsequential minutiae that define these characters and their activities. Finding the right balance was integral to the success of this film, and credit has to go to all involved in the creation of this story, which is a lot more complex than we’d expect based on a cursory glance – how else can we explain the fact that there are legitimately tearjerking moments the occur in between scenes of absolutely immoral debauchery? It’s a fascinating example of finding nuance in even the most excessive and absurd places, proving that nothing can ever be too ridiculous to have heart and soul.

FUBAR is a film worth seeing for anyone with a taste for the absurd, since everything about it would pander to those that enjoy the kind of off-the-wall oddity that comes about when a group of creative young individuals get together in the aims of inciting chaos and recording it under the structure of a film, which is perhaps the best way to describe this project. It’s incredibly funny, with the improvisational nature of the production making for a raw, unfiltered comedy that seems to have no interest in retaining any real sense of logic, and will push forward to find the laughs, even if it means venturing far beyond the pale, using questionable subject matter to evoke some bizarre but hilarious situations that make for a profoundly odd, but always deeply enthralling, experience. It may be produced with a shoestring budget (and it appears that way, with the amateur nature of the filmmaking being part of the charm), but there is real depth here, the kind that feels entirely authentic, rather than just cobbled together for the sake of telling a story. As a whole, FUBAR earns its reputation as a cult classic, with the sharp humour, ridiculously absurd manner of storytelling, and genuinely insightful approach to looking at some serious themes through its distinctive heightened tone, make for a thrilling and often quite endearing comedy that proves that the best works sometimes arrive in the most unexpected packages – and that’s the exact kind of statement that would send the characters at the heart of this film into riotous laughter, which is exactly what we’d expect from this delightful counterculture masterpiece.