There's a hero inside everyone.
Mild-mannered computer consultant Norman Neale (David Ingram) has two great loves in this cruel world: comic books and his office's effervescent main receptionist, Andrea Hicks (Mackenzie Lush). Norman spends his days dreaming of Andrea from the isolation of his cubicle and his nights dreaming of fighting crime from the solitude of his apartment.
Then one fateful day Norman discovers that a fellow co-worker, Victor Ventura (David Ingram), a swaggering, pretty-boy salesman, has slight telekinetic abilities beyond his understanding. After discussing his mind-blowing discovery with his only friend Chuck (Daniel Baldwin), a know-it-all comic book store owner, Norman comes to the outlandish conclusion that he should train Victor to become a real-life superhero by helping him refine and expand his extraordinary ability. Norman envisions an exciting new future for himself battling the city's criminal elements as Victor's faithful sidekick.
But as Victor grows in power Norman is faced with the heartbreaking realization that not all people with extraordinary abilities are meant to be heroes.
Special Agent Matti
There are other films featuring losers with delusions of comic books (see American splendour). There are other films about superheroes (see Superman returns). There are other films about losers trying to be superheroes (see Mystery Men). Sidekick is the first film I've seen about a loser comic book geek trying to be a superhero. And it's Canadian, which is good because our Canadian friends are fellow former colonists of the British Empire (on which the sun never sets) and that means that they know all about black humour. Sidekick is all about black humour.
Meanwhile, Perry Mucci is perfectly cast as the over-sensitive computer geek with a degree in nerd. He's a perfect whiny, obsessive, neat-freak virgin and to top it all off, he has red hair. David Ingram does a great superhero wanker. He's the dude from high school who was captain of the [insert sport here] team, had the prettiest girlfriend (who put out) and was on everyone's speed dial. (If he was a gay Pom instead of a straight Canuck he'd be John Dixon.)
All up, Sidekick is an entertaining film, although I would've liked a few minutes off the running time.
The Canada, superhero movie Sidekick is directed by Blake Van de Graaf and stars David Ingram, Perry Mucci, Mackenzie Lush.
R 18+
87 minutes (1:27 hours)
Film: 30 November 2006
