Making a movie about making a movie inevitably brings added focus and attention to the story you’re telling: you’ve got to be good. Modern Classic is such a tale, but looks to overcome this extra burden by making a farce of movie producers and adding some foul language, and absurd, morbid humour. This story goes even deeper and more meta though, making a point about the Canadian film industry, with these wannabe storytellers based in Toronto and dealing with nuances and problems indigenous to the Great White North.

Jono and Dave have an art film that isn’t getting off the ground; it involves alcoholism, and the death of a pet: there are no car chases or robots. But they have each other, they have determination, and they also employ a bit of clever wit.

Much of the dialogue is on point: hopeful filmmakers want to make a passion project, and efforts to raise money and tell their own special story butts heads against studios and purses that want something different. The former group talks about just making a pure film, while the latter group uses buzz words and speaks quickly. Both fulfill stereotypes off the bat, and those continue throughout. It’s the little guys versus the world.

Modern Classic avoids being too serious, though it certainly tests the relationships of the two partners. The quirks and darkness that is sprinkled throughout keep the film from being too involved in itself and this journey into the land of Canadian cinema.