Hockey and music come together at film festival

Hockey and music come together at film festival. Farley Gordon (Noah Reid), left, with Arena Announcer (George Stroumboulopoulos) in a scene from Score: A Hockey Musical, chosen to open this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Photo/KEN WORONER

Their film, Score: A Hockey Musical, has been chosen to open this year's Toronto International Film Festival. A light-hearted coming-of-age musical comedy, the film marks a dramatic departure from the festival's typically heavier opening fare.

The story follows the rise and fall of ingenuous home-schooled hockey phenom Farley Gordon as he struggles with fame, love and his own scruples after being thrust into the world of professional sports.

While music and hockey may seem to be disparate forms of entertainment, blending the two elements is hardly a stretch said Reid, who plays Farley.

"Music and hockey are two things Canadians do very well," he said.

A quintessentially Canadian film - it opens with John McDermott singing O Canada - Reid, an Annex resident, said the part of Farley Gordon seemed an ideal fit. The young, but veteran actor has a musical theatre background and saw Score as a return to his roots.

"Music, acting and hockey are three things I've been doing all my life, so this seemed like the perfect role for me, and those don't come around that often," he said.

While he has focused more on the acting side of his career, Score allowed Reid to get back into singing and, just as importantly, back into hockey.

"I've always loved hockey and I'm a huge Leafs fan," he said. "For this movie, I even had a skating audition. (Producer/writer/director Michael McGowan) were out on the UCC rink playing one-on-one. He won, but he thinks I let him win so I could get the role, and I'm happy to let him think that."

MacDonald, who plays the girl-next-door and Farley's lifelong friend Eve, said she was also amazed at how well hockey and musical numbers went together.

"It's one of those things that, when you see it, you think, 'oh, somebody should have done this a long time ago,'" she said.

The downtown Toronto resident has only been pursuing film for about two years and was thrilled to land the role of Eve. While she had to tone down her singing style from her own musical theatre days, MacDonald said it was easy to tackle the role for her feature debut.

"Eve's the girl next door, but she's kind of weird and quirky and that's me in a nutshell," she said.

Rosedale resident Jordan plays Farley's father who, along with mom Olivia Newton-John, are opposed to organized sports and the violence inherent in hockey.

A singer/songwriter by trade, he had not acted since a short stint working with the legendary comedy ensemble the Groundlings.

"It wasn't really acting - I was just playing myself, but a slightly nuttier version," he said. "Thank God Olivia Newton-John did the movie because she's an old friend and her being there was a definite comfort for me."

Score also includes cameos from a number of popular Canadian musicians including Nelly Furtado, Hawksley Workman and Rheostatics' singer/guitarist Dave Bidini.

The film will serve as TIFF's gala opener with screenings at 6:30 and 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8 and at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 12.

For showtimes and more information on this and other TIFF films, visit www.tiff.net