Heater

INFO...
This examination of the lower classes takes its two characters on a road movie the only way the impoverished can travel--on foot. This amusing societal study watches Ben (Gary Farmer - The Score, Powwow Highway, Ghost Dog) and The Man (Stephen Ouimette - X-Men, The Adjuster), two homeless men with only one possession between them, an electric space heater. Despite cold December weather, the partners are unable to use this modern invention to warm up since they have no outlet to plug the device into. What follows is a poignant and often hilarious chronicle of the two men's journey from the inner city to a suburban shopping mall, battling bitter cold, callous fellow humanity and their difficulty in clinging on to one another.... Full Cast List... Stephen Ouimette as The Man, Tina Keeper as Nurse, Joyce Krenz as Landlady, Gary Farmer as Ben, Sharon Bajer as Long Haired Woman, Jan Skene as Customer Service Rep, Wayne Nicklas as Large Officer, Martine Friesen as Social Worker, Arne...

You need a heater to warm some people's hearts
I really love Indie movies. I am ashamed to say that this movie will only appeal to a small audience. But if you watch this movie, and you are patient, it will work its magic and you will be rewarded. I rated it 4 out of 5 because it was watchable, compelling, and who makes movies these days with this kind of under-stated pathos? The movie centers around a big, tall, polite and perceptive, under-achieving (is that a proper or adequate adjective to apply to any human?), native American man and his smaller, excitable pal-for-a-day who seems to possess to varying degrees, cases of Tourette's, kleptomania, and one or two other psychological problems. (Yes, I was reminded a bit of Cuckoo's Nest but this film is not the emotional star studded roller coaster ride of Cuckoo's.) Filmed in the cold wintry climes of Canada (Winnipeg, Manitoba) right before the Christmas holiday, HEATER reminds us that the coldest thing around the holidays is often the behavior of humans towards other humans. And...

So realistic
I lived in Winnipeg for 5 years and I love to pull this movie out and remember familiar spots in the city. It also makes me glad I don't live in that cold climate anymore. It's a great flick, especially for anyone that has spent time in Winnipeg.

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