The Grand Seduction

Viewers who enjoyed Waking Ned Devine, Calendar Girls and The Full Monty will likely be amused by filmmaker Don McKellar's breezy comedy set in picturesque Newfoundland, Canada. Times are tough in the tiny harbor of Tickle Head, a place where once-proud fishermen are now out of work thanks to a cod moratorium that ended their livelihood. Shamefacedly, they line up each week to collect welfare checks from the postmistress (Liane Balaban). Although this is a decidedly depressing state of affairs, there's hope on the horizon: a “petrochemical byproduct repurposing facility” may open, which will mean lots of jobs. But the oil company requires that Tickle Head have a resident doctor—which it does not. Acting as Mayor, burly Murray French (Brendan Gleeson) tells everyone: “Find a doctor.” Coincidentally, at the St. Johns airport, plastic surgeon Paul Lewis (Taylor Kitsch) is caught with cocaine in his carry-on and dispatched by a customs officer from Tickle Head to spend one month of community service in the burg. During that time, it's up to scheming, civic-minded locals to convince Paul to not only stay but also sign a five-year contract. Right away, houses are spruced up and trash stashed away. Since Paul's an avid cricket fan, the menfolk pretend to share his passion. Eavesdropping on his phone calls, the telephone operator (Mary Walsh) learns that he likes Indian lamb dhansak, which subsequently appears on the chowder house menu. And Murray patiently teaches him how to fish, while an old codger (Gordon Pinsent) makes sure he gets a sizeable catch. But how long can the charade continue? Serving up low-key, far-fetched fun, this is recommended. (S. Granger)