There’s always time for some Canadiana at TIFF, and The Stunt Driver delivers it fantastically with lots of humour and great performances, and explores a small but fascinating corner of Canadian pop culture history that I had no clue about.

In the late 70s, it seems everyone knew who Evel Knievel (Ben Foster) was. Heck, I had a toy bike and figure that brought me hours of fun. I loved and love the idea of stunts and daredevilry, so how did I not know about the infamous Canadian stunt driver Ken Carter (Jay Baruchel)?

Baruchel brings Carter to life with a lot of attention to detail, and truly leans into the story’s Canadiana. Smartly shot, combining material made to look like it was shot for the NFB documentary about Carter and modern filmmaking styles, the film focuses on Carter’s plan to jump from Morrisburg, Ontario, over the St. Lawrence River to the American side… a mile long jump with the aid of a rocket car.

It’s a ridiculous plan. But Carter seems so earnest in his desire to do it (all while struggling with underlying fear that he may be in over his head). He recruits Dick Keller (Ed Helms) to design his rocket car for him, and as the documentary team maintains its objectivity, the film follows Carter’s trials and tribulations both of the heart and his stunt-driving goals.

Barruchel and Helms are wonderful together, and Baruchel’s imitation of Carter feels spot on; it just sounds so wonderfully Canadian, almost, but not quite approaching cliché and stereotype.

Carter struggles with his fear and his desire to be loved. He’s fighting to hold onto the love of his life, Gloria (Laurence Leboeuf), and his desire for bigger and more outrageous stunts. He and Keller work together on the car, the ramp, the logistics, and it all seems to be getting wilder and wilder, bigger than Carter can handle or achieve, but will he know enough to walk away?

Incredibly engaging, funny as hell, and reminding the world that Canadians are god’s chosen people, The Stunt Driver is a brilliant slice of Candiana that not only makes you laugh, it pulls at the heartstrings as well.

Baruchel is brilliant, Foster is practically unrecognizable as Knievel, and Helms is pitch-perfect. I absolutely adored this film.

The visual style is perfect for the look and the tone, and I LOVE the poster. So wonderfully old-school.

The Stunt Driver screens Friday night at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and Saturday night at Scotiabank.