The Cinematheque

In Person: Bruce Sweeney

“Sharp, incisive, and wickedly funny, Sweeney’s films are unique in the way they combine a caustic, comic awareness of how screwed up human beings generally are with a muted yet profound empathy for most of his characters … Excited is one of his best.”

Steve Gravestock, TIFF

“A romantic comedy about going off half-cocked.” Masculinity goes under the knife in Vancouver indie auteur Bruce Sweeney’s revisionist rom-com, which earned four Leos including Best Director and Best Dramatic Feature. Thirtysomething Kevin (Cam Cronin) is a successful golf-course owner whose love life is kaput; in the eight years since his divorce, he hasn’t so much as hit on another woman, let alone braved a date. The nagging reason, on which he pins the failure of his marriage, is that Kevin suffers from premature ejaculation. When his brother sets him up with an attractive shoe-sales clerk (Laara Sadiq), and sparks unexpectedly fly, Kevin’s inadequacy rears its emasculating head as the couple starts rounding the sexual bases. Egoyan mainstay Gabrielle Rose, superb in the Leo-winning role, plays Kevin’s overbearing, grandkids-deprived mother.

After the screening, actor Gabrielle Rose will moderate a Q&A with Sweeney.

“As close to ​‘feel good’ as it gets in the Sweeney-verse, the neo-romcom Excited expands the celebrated Sweeney company of players, while interrogating masculinity, male sexuality and the comforts of Lotus Land.”

Harry Killas