Review: Hank and Mike

Dark Canadian Comedy About Unemployed Easter Bunnies a Definite Hoot

Apr 2, 2009 Dominic Messier

A new comedy from rising Quebec director Matthiew Klinck, Hank and Mike explore the ups and downs of two Easter bunnies who get laid off from their famous jobs. 7/10

The brainchild of the two main actors in the titular roles, Hank and Mike succeeds in transcending common concepts of storytelling, by shamelessly asking the audience to suspend their disbelief. How, you ask? By accepting two grown men, literally wearing fluffy pink bunny suits, to portray two employees of the Easter Corporation, as they deal with corporate life.

Hank and Mike Brief Synopsis

Lazy slob bunny Hank (Thomas Michael) and overachiever Mike (Paolo Mancini) are two mature Easter bunnies, who diligently work at the Easter Corporation, diligently performing the duty of breaking into each house assigned to them the eve of Easter, in order to place hidden Easter eggs for awaking children to find.

When these two jolly roommates happen to miss one small house as an oversight, this omission causes furor among the Easter community, and comes to the attention of the mellow, but serious CEO Mister Pan (yeah, that Pan, flute and all, played by Joe Mantegna, The Rat Pack). Though this would normally be considered a slight ding on their work records, this slip is used as an excuse to fire them, as part of a vicious restructuring effort orchestrated by ruthless efficiency expert Conrad Hubriss (Chris Klein).

As they end up unemployed and inexperienced in anything more than the concept of Easter and how happy it makes them, Hank and Mike try their hand at a variety of jobs, looking to make the bills and avoid eviction. All the while, many frustrations come to surface, about the never-perfect friendship these two bunnies held over the years, and how each saw the other, when push came to shove.

As they try to cope with life without the Easter Corporation and the people they've come to appreciate (including a cute co-worker played by Maggie Castle), they realize that the more they try to fit in without their best-suited job, the more they realize they were never meant to do anything else.

Hank and Mike Overall Analysis

Though the film's theme -- coping with loss of a job, and trying to find a place in the world -- seems like a depressing topic at first, rest assured in knowing that this movie is playing this premise for sheer laughter value. Though a bit slow in the first third of the film, Hank and Mike gets pretty funny...that is, if you don't stop and wonder what they are doing in bunny suits.

The underlying theme (which is quite hard to miss) is all about soul searching, and the pursuit of happiness. All the while, writers Michael and Mancini make innocuous comments on the corporate machine and the loss of identity, when the numbers are crunched and names are forgotten in the event of downsizing, something which hits pretty close to home in the current economic crisis.

Though Paolo Mancini smiles and acts all eager as the ever so diligent Mike, the film's best scenes are provided by Thomas Michael's ludicrously lewd and crass Hank, a guy who simply wants to have fun, and snubs his nose at authority and the public at large.

As for Joe Mantegna and Chris Klein, their marquee value overshadows their performance, as they barely get a chance to shine, having limited screen time. Klein does play outside his usual comfort zone, which is somewhat refreshing. As for Mantegna, he provides his usual laid back banter, Fat Tony-style, dispensing wisdom on cue.

As a modest indie production, this film has its heart in the right place, and has enough momentum to entertain the most jaded of viewers. Though the concept is based on a small sketch from a small show called Y B Normal (which most have never heard of), in Wayne's World style, both writers have managed to produced a short but sweet satire about an environment most can associate with.

(Note: The film has a very limited release in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, however it will be available to all, on DVD on April 7th)

7 out of 10 for being a modest Canadian hit, with plenty of laughs, and witty writing. Extra kudos to Thomas Michael.

The copyright of the article Review: Hank and Mike in Romantic Films/Comedies is owned by Dominic Messier. Permission to republish Review: Hank and Mike in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Thomas Michael and Paolo Mancini in Hank and Mike