Little Lorraine is a bit of an enigma.
Based on the true story that inspired the lyrics to Adam Baldwin’s song of the same name, Little Lorraine is a fascinating mixture of truth and fiction. Set between 1986-1990, the film takes place in Little Lorraine, a North Atlantic seaside town that espouses family values and hard work. It’s here that Jimmy (Stephen Amell), Jake (Steve Lund) and their friends try to make an honest living to support their family at a time of financial struggle.
But the arrival of Jimmy’s estranged uncle (Stephen McHattie) upends their quiet lives with an offer: make a few simple deliveries and solve their money problems at the same time. Backed against the wall, Jimmy and his friends accept the offer but soon find out that they’re in deeper than they’d ever accepted.
Directed by Andy Hines (who also co-wrote with Baldwin), the film is based on true events that no one seems willing to confirm or deny. It is known that Little Lorraine was the center of a cocaine ring in the late 80s and early 90s. But, as he was preparing for the film, the secrets within remained on lockdown.
Even now, almost four decades later, the truth is still out there.
However, as a result, Hines has plenty of room to play with his story. Though set in the heart of the Canadian Maritimes, this is the sort of story that feels like it should be from the streets of New York or Los Angeles. Tales of the criminal underworld seem incongruent with the scenic waterfronts and pleasantries of the Maritimes but Lorraine taps into the fact that human frailties are everywhere.
With a unique blend of grit and warmth, Hines weaves a story that deals with man’s battles within himself when things go wrong. After all, this is the story of good men gone bad. Their fall from grace stems from an ethic of hard work at a time of financial crises. They love their families and want to do right by them.
However, hard times mean hard decisions. And, as Jimmy and his friends are faced with financial ruin, the compromises that they make, even begrudgingly, threaten to bring down the entire community. And that’s the most interesting component of Lorraine. This isn’t a story of mustache-twirling villains – though the film does have its share of ‘baddies’. Instead, these men are said to be ‘pillars of the community’.
They are good men.
But are they? While Jimmy and his friends may be doing this for their family, they are making decisions that fall on the other side of the law. (In some ways, one could call even refer to the film as Breaking Boat.) Yet Lorraine still doesn’t want us to judge them entirely.
We love Jimmy and his crew… but we don’t necessarily love what they do.
This question of what defines a ‘good man’ is core to the film’s delightful dramatic tension. This is a community of honorable, hard-working men and women. But what happens when those same people fall? Are they redeemable? What does it take to do so? Hines isn’t entirely sure but, even so, Lorraine sits in the midst of that ambiguity with grace and conviction.
Credit must be given to its cast who keep Lorraine afloat with some strong performances. As Jimmy, Amell maintains his general likeability while still stepping into the dark side. Meanwhile, as Jimmy’s wife Emma, Auden Thornton balances a loving glance with a steely glare when called upon. Backed by solid work from veterans like Rhys Darby, Matt Walsh and a positively pastoral Sean Astin, everyone here is at the top of their game.
However, it’s Stephen McHattie’s turn as Uncle Huey that’s most compelling. From the moment that Huey first arrives, one cannot help but sense his Machiavellian machinations. Spouting mantras of family values, he still feels untrustworthy in every moment. And, with every glare, McHattie tries to find the truth in his performance.
In the end, Little Lorraine proves itself to be seaworthy. Hane’s strong script and solid performances ensure that this Canadian crime thriller’s unique blend of family and fury fires on all cylinders.
Little Lorraine is available in theatres on April 17th, 2026.
