Starbuck

R

Released Mar 22, 2013

1h 48m

Comedy

Drama

Romance

List

65%

71 Reviews

Tomatometer

80%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

More than 140 people sue a fertility clinic to reveal the name of the sperm donor (Patrick Huard) whose frequent contributions resulted in 533 offspring.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Apr 02

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Watch Starbuck with a subscription on Prime Video, rent on Fandango at Home, or buy on Fandango at Home.

dave s

Despite being loved by those in his life, David Wozniak (Patrick Huard) has more than his fair share of problems. He is horrible at his job, a meat delivery man for the family business. He owes $80,000 to mobsters. He is sometimes inattentive to the needs of his girlfriend. And, as the result of sperm donations made twenty years earlier under the pseudonym Starbuck, his is the biological father of 533 children, many of whom want to know his identity. Yes, it predictable. No, it's not great art. Yes, it is manipulative and overly sentimental. But Starbuck also happens to be, thanks to a down-to-earth performance from Huard and some pretty decent set pieces, a feel good movie that will put a smile on your face, guaranteed to linger with the viewer long after it's over.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Mike J

Sonic I think I'm gonna be there at like this time in the morning I don't think it's going to

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/28/22

Full Review

Audience Member

A real “crowd pleaser “ #fun

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/19/20

Full Review

Audience Member

One of the best and heart-warming movies that haven't been seen for a long time. Loosely based on a true story where multiple children sired by one sperm donor confront their identity crisis by seeking to find the identity of their real biological father, the film attempts to explore how reproductive technology changes the concept of family, children, siblings, strangers and all of the other issues like fatherhood, parenthood, parent-children relationship that surround them in a light-hearted, uplifting and a bit of 70's film noir flair that's only unique to Québec films in the likes of Du Père en Flic, Cruising Bar, Les Invasions Barbares (an Oscar winner). Québec films should really have their own genre category. It attempts to make one think about questions like "what is the role of a father?", "when do children actually become your children or when parents become really parents?" now that you can sire children without even knowing them while embarking on the emotional journey as our down-to-earth, good-hearted hero of the story goes through the profiles of his children and try to get to know them better, help them, protect them, support them and the whole time wondering where are their mothers and other possible parent figures in their lives? Overall, it is a feel-good movie that is much needed when nothing feels good especially during this challenging Covid-19 virus pandemic time. I am glad I watched this movie. Very well made too with all its thread-bare candid camera shots that showcases the rugged and yet homey Québec culture.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I don't like the inference, that if a film is good natured and kind that somehow means it's in a lower category of cinema. No-one said that about 'Amelie' and the same applies here. This is a wondrous film, it's funny, it's kind, it's joyous and it made me cry more than once. I loved it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

What would you do for a bit of cash while young? This guy unknowingly sired several hundred children, and he's going to secretly check up on as many as he can, and boy is he gonna broaden his definition of family while he does it!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Ken Scott

Director

Patrick Huard

David Wozniak

Julie Le Breton

Valérie

Antoine Bertrand

Paul

David Michael

Antoine

Patrick Martin

Étienne

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

80%

58%

Don Jon

92%

86%

Silver Linings Playbook

80%

53%

Cyrus

55%

53%

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

84%

66%

Your Sister's Sister

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Critics Consensus: The Croods is Charming and Funny

View more photos

Joe Williams

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

A high-concept comedy that peddles some slapstick laughs and life lessons but little insight.

Rated: 2.5/4

May 2, 2013

Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

What begins as a cute idea grows annoyingly sentimental before it is through.

Rated: 1.5/5

Apr 19, 2013

Full Review

Tom Long

Detroit News

This is froth, but it's good froth.

Rated: B

Apr 12, 2013

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

If there's a lesson in Starbuck, I believe, it's that "family" is essential and what that means is different for everyone.

Rated: 3.0/4.0

Sep 24, 2020

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Conspicuously scatterbrained and without the gumption to make any real observations about its superficially daring premise.

Aug 8, 2019

Full Review

Daniel Green

CineVue

Unfortunately, somewhere towards the middle of the film, Scott seems to doubt his own concept, devolving his piece into a much more straightforward plod.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 6, 2019

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

More than 140 people sue a fertility clinic to reveal the name of the sperm donor (Patrick Huard) whose frequent contributions resulted in 533 offspring.

Director: Ken Scott
Screenwriter: Ken Scott, Martin Petit
Distributor: Entertainment One
Production Co: Caramel Films
Rating: R (Sexual Content|Language|Some Drug Material)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Original Language: French (Canada)
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 22, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.8M
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Most Popular at Home Now