History Film / BonCopBadCop

** At one point, the coroner mentions that Rita the barmaid's name backwards is "à tir". Literally meaning "to pull", this is Quebecois slang for "getting with someone". This is not explained in either language during the film, but insinuated that the French audience would get it.

* OneSceneWonder: Even though Louis-Josée Houde's character, Jeff, only has 2 scenes in the entire movie (one of which is incredibly short), he's still one of the most remembered parts of the movie.
** It was made fun of in Patrick Huard's television series "Taxi 22" where his character Rogatien tells Louis-Josée Houde (who plays himself) that he was the only thing he remembered in the film.

*** Even worse, there's a hint that he has a backstory; Bouchard comments on his strange accent, which sets up a revelation that's never actually revealed.
** What did the apple/dollar sign/99 tattoo mean? Who was the next target?

* BilingualDialogue
* BilingualBackfire: Turns out Martin speaks French just fine, though with a strong Parisian accent.

** Who was the Tattoo Killer? He's given no real motivation, and he's actually given no backstory whatsoever.

** For context: in Quebec, swearing in largely based on corruptions of religious references, and can be strung together with the word "de" ("of"). While the phrase above doesn't really translate, if you're familiar with the cultural background the "Tabarnac" at the end is the biggest bomb of the bunch.

Much of the movie's humor comes from how it plays with the stereotypes English-speaking Canadians have of French-speaking ''Québécois''--and, of course, vice-versa. The movie guest-stars numerous personalities from both sides of Canada such as Rick Mercer as an [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Expy]] of [[HockeyNightInCanada Don Cherry]] and Louis-José Houde as a MotorMouth coroner.

** Ironically, the French cop would probably be the bad one if they did decide to play Good Cop, Bad Cop. Then again, ''Good Cop, Mauvais Cop'' doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

It starts out with a dead body that has been found hanging from a street sign demarcating the border between Ontario and Quebec. {{Da Chief}}s of both provincial polices, eager to foster the spirit of cooperation and to keep this case out of the federal RCMP's hands (so it looks good come budget times), assign two of their officers as partners to crack the case. From the ''Sureté Du Québec'' is David Bouchard (played by Patrick Huard), a chain-smoking, rules-breaking violent CowboyCop with an attitude. He finds himself partnered with Martin Ward (Colm Feore) of the ''Ontario Provincial Police'', a "square-head" whom even his son finds dull.

* PlayingAgainstType: Patrice Bélanger is very well known for his numerous comedic roles. [[spoiler: Here, he plays a psychotic killer.]]

** Ironically, the French cop would probably be the bad one if they did decide to play Good Cop, Bad Cop.

* CaptainErsatz: The filmmakers obviously couldn't get the rights to the names of real UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague teams, so equivalents to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens, and the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche are used. NHL Ceo Gary Bettman appears as [[Punny Name Harry Buttman]].

* CaptainErsatz: The filmmakers obviously couldn't get the rights to the names of real UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague teams, so equivalents to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens, and the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche are used. NHL Ceo Gary Bettman appears as [[Punny Name|Harry Buttman]].

* CanadaEh: The film plays with the stereotypes Canadians have about themselves and one another. For example, the plot revolves around hockey, and the two main characters are living embodiments of how their people are often seen by the other one's:
** David is in an overly emotional, anger-prone man with no respect for authority with a low-to-middle-class appearance.
** Martin is neat, by the rules, traditional and boring while projecting an upper-class "better than you" image.
* CaptainErsatz: The filmmakers obviously couldn't get the rights to the names of real UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague teams, so equivalents to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens, and the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche are used.

** For context: in Quebec, swearing in largely based on corruptions of religious references. While it doesn't really translate, if you're familiar with the cultural background the "Tabarnac" at the end is the biggest bomb of the bunch.

* CowboyCop: David, later Martin starts being one.

** The SQ Chief is particularly [[LargeHam fun]] -- imagine DaChief, with ''RAEG'' [[UpToEleven set on eleven]], looking like he's about to have five simultaneous heart attacks from yelling "TABARNAK!!!" almost loud enough to rip his vocal cords, and with plenty of GratuitousEnglish to boot.
*** We call it Franglais, or Fringlish. It works whether you're butchering English or French.

* FunWithSubtitles: The French version has subtitles over the English dialogue, with the reverse being true for the English version. The DVD comes with a bilingual option, turning all subtitles off.
** Oh, it's a lot more twisted than that, you get 6 subtitle tracks (apart from the obvious "no subtitle"): 1-French subtitle during the English part and none during the French part, 2-English subtitles during the French parts and none during the English parts, 3- French subtitles during the English parts and English subtitles during the French parts, 4-French subtitles during the French parts and English subtitles during the English parts, 5- French subtitles at all times or 6- English subtitles at all times.
*** Tracks 4 and 5 also exist because Québec's dialect of French is often nigh-incomprehensible to European ears.
*** Tracks 4, 5, and 6 are presumably subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing as well--4 for bilinguals, 5 for monolingual francophones, and 6 for monolingual anglophones.
** The extra fun in-film happens when Martin reveals that he's fluent in French; each half of his TakeThat line is in a different language:

* IntoxicationEnsues: Burning cannabis farms are ''fun''!

* NotSoDifferent: Both Martin and David are obsessed with the past (Which is also a commentary on the stereotypes they embody): Both are obsessed with the past, especially past tragedies in the forms of their respective broken marriages. Something the villain also shares: He focuses on how hockey as changed.

--> '''Bouchard''': How come you have such a strong accent in English ''and'' French? Who was your teacher? Jean Chrétien?

* ThemeNaming: All the targeted hockey executives are given names like Buttman and Grossbut. You know, butt-related names.

* [[YouHaveGOTToBeKiddingMe You gotta be fucking kidding me]]: Ah, FamousLastWords.

* NotSoDifferent: Martin and David are both single dads with only one kid, both of them hung up on their former wives who has since remarried, and show hostility to said wife's new partner. As mentioned above in CanadaEh, this works also with them being living stereotypes of how each of their culture is perceived by the other, Their obsessions with the past represents their own culture's perceived (By the other side) inability to "move on": Quebeckers obsessing over long past events where they were conquered, and English Canadians following an archaic royalty and a love of outdated traditions. This symbolism is brought up during the film by both characters.
** The entire film's theme is this on a cultural level, that Quebeckers and the Rest of Canada are in fact more similar than they are different.

* BilingualBonus: The movie is best appreciated with a proper understanding of both English and French, since the subtitles tend to have problem showing the colorful Quebec swearing. [[http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=9U72QVCgh_Q See the language course scene.]]

* CaptainErsatz: The filmmakers obviously couldn't get the rights to the names of real UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague teams, so equivalents to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens, and the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche are used. Ditto with Buttman, who is obviously NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
** Likewise, Rick Mercer plays an Ersatz of Don Cherry, an infamous hockey commentator.
** And many of the victims of the Tattoo Killer are ersatzes of NHL officials.

Much of the movie's humor comes from how it plays with the stereotypes English-speaking Canadians have of French-speaking ''Québécois''--and, of course, vice-versa. The movie guest-stars numerous personalities from both sides of Canada such as Rick Mercer as an {{Expy}} of [[HockeyNightInCanada Don Cherry]] and Louis-José Houde as a MotorMouth coroner.

* {{Angrish}}: ''"Shit de fuck de shit de merde de shit de câlisse de TABARNAK!"''

* ClusterFBomb: ''"Shit de fuck de shit de merde de shit de câlisse de TABARNAC!"''

Much of the movie's humor comes from how it plays with the stereotypes English-speaking Canadians have of French-speaking ''Québecois''--and, of course, vice-versa. The movie guest-stars numerous personalities from both sides of Canada such as Rick Mercer as an {{Expy}} of [[HockeyNightInCanada Don Cherry]] and Louis-José Houde as a MotorMouth coroner.

* EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench: '''''[[TheImmodestOrgasm Vive le Quebec libre]]'''''!