Amateur Cree filmmaker Cody Lightning shoots for the sky with Hey, Viktor!, an unexpected mockumentary that pulls its influences from the most unlikeliest of places.

Though primarily an actor some may recognize recently from the Indigenous dramedy Run Woman Run, Lightning earned fame at a young age by playing “Little Viktor” in 1998’s crowd-pleasing indie Smoke Signals. In Hey, Viktor!, Lightning plays a heightened version of himself who bases his whole personality around his Smoke Signals screen time. Despite the calling card, he still finds himself floundering as an actor, having to depend on side hustles and porno gigs to pay the bills.

When he’s not wallowing in his own pity, he chisels away at his passion project – a self-penned, self-produced sequel to Smoke Signals. But after failed attempts to secure financing and having no contact with the original cast, the project seems like it’ll never leave its own development hell. However, Cody’s luck changes when a local hock shop receives new ownership – an over-the-top German (Phil Burke) who considers himself a huge fan of Smoke Signals and offers the sequel’s budget. Strings are attached, of course, but Cody’s elated and can’t wait to make his movie – despite not knowing how he’s going to do it.

From reality television to carbonated beverages, Canada has been called out on trying to ride the wave of popular US imports. These inspired products end up usually standing on their own legs but, in the case of this comedy, Hey, Viktor! comes off as an off-brand version of The Disaster Artist, another movie about eccentric filmmaking starring its director (James Franco). Striking even more of a niche, Hey, Viktor! is a softer version of Uncle Kent 2. Uncle Kent 2 was an embellished absurdist comedy about a persistent animator/amateur actor who, after being granted the greenlight to make a self-produced sequel to his indie breakout, procrastinates until he discovers that the idea of making a movie is more glamorous than actually making the movie.

Both The Disaster Artist and Uncle Kent 2 work. These films are running on their own frequencies, sometimes risking their likability to stay true to their obnoxious lead character, but they maintain their integrity. Hey, Viktor! sports aggressive comedy in the form of R-rated words, partying, alcoholism, and immaturity but, deeper down, it doesn’t want to step out of line. And because of this awareness, Lightning forgets to supply his directorial debut with a plan. 

Lightning encouraged improvisational comedy in Hey, Viktor!, using the same method used on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm or Canadian cult staple Trailer Park Boys where the actors are given a loose outline – a start and an endpoint. Either his actors aren’t versed enough in this craft or Lightning hasn’t communicated well enough as a director. Most scenes boil down to a lot of yelling and cursing, which gets tiresome. The funniest lines of Hey, Viktor! are the cleanest ones. When Smoke Signals’ Irene Bedard is approached about returning for Smoke Signals 2: Still Smoking, she replies, “I would need some sort of sign. A sign from the creator or, I don’t know, $150,000.”

One could call Hey, Viktor! a vanity project but, other than proving that Cody has a good attitude for self-deprecation, the movie doesn’t do any favours for Lightning.  My job is to review a movie, not a filmmaker (on a personal level, at least).  However, each scene in Hey, Viktor! is lined with needy indulgence, and a soupy final act turning Cody into a folk hero just made me feel bad for the real Cody Lightning.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie