Joel (Dakota Daulby) has a lot going for him. He works in the construction industry and has a healthy relationship with his partner Taylor (Christie Burke), his mother Lucy (Maxim Roy), and his grandmother (France Castel). But there’s one thing that just keeps getting in the way: his father, Bodo (Emmanuel Bilodeau), who has been struggling with a fentanyl addiction for years. Soon to be moving to Australia with Taylor, Joel has put his life on hold until Bodo gets sober—as far as delaying having a kid of his own. Joel believes that if he loves his dad enough, he will eventually want to get better. Tight Lettuce, which had its world premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival on 18th July, is based on a true story which was written by director Harrison Houde and star Daulby.
From the film’s opening, Joel begins recording his father with a camcorder, capturing the fun and heartwarming moments that reflect the qualities Joel loves the most about him. Bodo is a complex character with a lot of depth. He is surprisingly optimistic, with so much joy and energy that feels contagious. “I really appreciate you looking after me,” Bodo tells Joel in one scene. “I’m really proud of you.” You can really feel the emotion between them and how much it means to Joel. It’s deeply affecting and is sure to hit harder for those who have estranged relationships with their parents, no matter the cause. Between the highs, we also see the lows, such as when Bodo is itching to get his next fix or when he interrupts an important announcement during Joel’s birthday celebration. Unable to hold down a job and facing eviction, Bodo is always entertaining to watch, doing everything with an adventurous spirit. He finds creative ways to make money such as treading grapes for a mean, exploitative fellow who lives on a boat, and sleeping in a closet while renting out his room for $400. “Hello from the den, woo,” Bodo calls as Joel captures his father’s reality on his camcorder. For all the situations Bodo finds himself in, it always makes for an interesting scene, both visually and emotionally.
Tight Lettuce provides a nuanced portrayal of addiction in presenting both the good and the bad through its strong writing and key performances. Houde and Daulby’s screenplay is sympathetic to addiction while also showing the impact it can have on families. It’s easy to be drawn to Bodo, as he’s captivating and the film makes you care about him while simultaneously feeling frustrated by his actions. Bilodeau’s eccentric and layered performance stands out in a strong cast, but Daulby also skilfully portrays the pain and frustration bubbling underneath the enormous love he has for his father. Anyone who is familiar with addiction knows that Joel’s belief that he can save his father if he just loves him enough is unfortunately not how it works. The hardest part of the film is waiting for Joel to have this realisation and catch up to everyone else’s view of Bodo. It’s devastating to watch Joel’s hope gradually slip away throughout the film, until he’s hit in the face by the bleak reality of a situation he never wanted to accept.
Tight Lettuce’s main stumble is in its pacing, which often slows down so much that it breaks momentum. Daulby and Bilodeau handle the mix of family drama and black comedy with real skill, but that same balancing act sometimes gets in the way of the emotional beats. The levity makes the film’s difficult subject matter easier to sit with, but it occasionally softens the punch of its toughest scenes. Still, Tight Lettuce leaves you sitting in the impact that addiction has on families. It’s a different kind of story than we’re used to seeing, but the underlying message stays consistent across them all: you cannot control other people, or force them to get better, no matter how much you love them. That’s the devastating reality of addiction—and many other diseases—and it’s one that Houde and Daulby capture perfectly.
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