Parenthood is one of those universal themes. You may not be a parent, but you probably had one. And there’s the Platonic ideal of the perfect parent, that so many try for and so many fail to get even close. But when a lot of parents don’t even bother … the ones that try are amazing in comparison. Even when you accidentally end up with over 500 kids.

Starbuck is a small film from Quebec that was mainly shown in film festivals and is now out on DVD and in select theaters. But it’s getting distributed now because an American remake is due in October of this year, starring Vince Vaughn and directed by Ken Scott (who also directed the original version), called Delivery Man. But we won’t know how that one is for a while. Starbuck tells the story of 40-something David (Patrick Huard) who’s essentially a layabout loser, working minimally and coasting through life. But when his longtime girlfriend Valerie informs David she’s pregnant — and she doesn’t want his help — David decides to turn his life around. So far, pretty typical story, right? Then we have the insane twist. It turns out that when David donated sperm anonymously in his 20’s under the nom de plume “Starbuck,” it was all used — which means he now has 533 kids. And 142 of them are suing him to uncover his anonymity.

So just as David was trying to get ready to be a parent … he discovers he’s already one hundreds of times over. He has to decide whether he’ll reveal himself or fight back; maybe even look in on some of the 142 that want to know who he is. It’s a charming tale, with honesty and sincerity, as David tries to learn more about himself and the various multitudes of children he suddenly has been given. David wants to grow up, but is it too late? The movie is funny and sharp, assuming you can follow the subtitles, and quickly the difference in languages begins to fall away. Patrick Huard is fantastic in his lead role, convincing as a complex, screwed up individual with a core of decency and honesty. The various other actors are good as well, and if there are a few slightly more stereotypical portrayals … ? It’s okay, because it never gets offensive.

So catch it if you can, or get the DVD. That way when the American version comes out this fall, you too can say, “Oh, I saw the original; it had subtitles.” That’ll get you all sorts of friends.

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