What Being Canadian is About
Being Canadian kicks off with a deceptively simple premise: what does it actually mean to be Canadian? Director Robert Cohen decided the best way to answer that question wasn't through dry historical analysis or academic pontification — it was to hit the road. The film follows Cohen as he travels across Canada, stopping to chat with a roster of Canadian celebrities, most of them comedians, about what it means to call themselves Canadian. It's not a straightforward documentary. It's messier than that, more conversational, the kind of project where you're never quite sure where the conversation will go next. The road trip structure gives the whole thing a rambling quality that mirrors how identity itself works — it's not a neat, packaged thing you can wrap up in ninety minutes, but the film tries anyway.
Behind the Making of Being Canadian
Being Canadian was written and directed by Robert Cohen and produced by The Sibs, with backing from Movie Central and The Movie Network — major Canadian broadcasters at the time. The 89-minute film arrived in 2015, right when the streaming era was beginning to reshape how documentaries reached audiences. What's striking about the production is its scope: Cohen managed to corral a genuinely impressive lineup of Canadian celebrities willing to sit down and riff on national identity. Most of the interview subjects are comedians, which makes sense — they're trained to think about culture, absurdity, and contradiction in real time. That comedic sensibility becomes the film's backbone. Rather than positioning itself as some sweeping, definitive statement about Canada, the project leans into humor and self-awareness. The production design is deliberately low-key; this isn't a glossy prestige doc. It's a working filmmaker asking working Canadians what home means to them, and letting the conversations breathe.
Why Being Canadian Lands Despite Its Imperfections
The film currently holds a 5.6 rating on IMDb, which tells you something: it's divisive. Some viewers find it a genuinely funny, thoughtful meditation on national identity and cultural stereotypes. Others think it's scattered and doesn't quite land its thesis. Here's the thing — and I keep coming back to this — the film's lack of polish is partly the point. It's not trying to be a definitive answer. It's a conversation starter, a collection of perspectives stitched together by a road trip and a central question. The interviews themselves are where the value sits. You get genuine moments where celebrities stop performing and actually think about what being Canadian means to them. There's vulnerability there. There's also a lot of self-deprecating humor, because that's kind of the Canadian way, isn't it? The film doesn't shy away from stereotypes — the politeness, the apologizing, the hockey obsession — but it interrogates them rather than just laughing at them. Some interviews click immediately; others meander. That unevenness is real, but it's also honest. Not every conversation about identity is going to be equally profound.
Where to Stream Being Canadian Online
Being Canadian is available across major OTT platforms, and you can check the Where to Watch widget at the top of this page to see exactly which service has it in your region right now. Streaming availability shifts constantly, so Movie OTT tracks current availability so you don't have to hunt through five different apps to find it. The film's documentary-comedy hybrid approach makes it perfect for a casual streaming watch — it's not demanding in the way a three-hour prestige doc might be, but it's thoughtful enough that you won't feel like you've wasted your time. At 89 minutes, it fits neatly into an evening. Whether you're Canadian curious about how your country sees itself, or just interested in how identity gets constructed and questioned, the streaming platforms carrying this one have made it easy to access.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who directed Being Canadian?
Robert Cohen wrote and directed the film. He's the one who conceived the road trip concept and conducted most of the celebrity interviews that form the documentary's backbone.
Q: Is Being Canadian a documentary or a comedy?
It's both. Being Canadian is officially categorized as a documentary comedy, blending real interviews and road-trip footage with humor and self-aware commentary about national identity and Canadian stereotypes.
Q: How long is Being Canadian?
The film runs 89 minutes, making it a relatively compact documentary that doesn't overstay its welcome while still covering substantial ground.
Q: What's the IMDb rating for Being Canadian?
Being Canadian has a 5.6/10 rating on IMDb, reflecting mixed audience reactions — some viewers appreciate its conversational approach to identity, while others find it unfocused.
Q: Is Being Canadian available on streaming?
Yes. Being Canadian is currently available on major OTT services. Check the Where to Watch widget at the top of this page to see which platforms have it in your region.
Final Thoughts on Being Canadian
Look — Being Canadian isn't going to revolutionize how you think about documentary filmmaking. It's not trying to. What it does do is create space for a genuinely funny, occasionally thoughtful conversation about what ties a nation together. If you're Canadian, you'll probably recognize yourself in some of these interviews, maybe cringe a little at the stereotypes, maybe nod along to some of the deeper observations. If you're not Canadian, you might come away understanding the country a bit better — or at least understanding why Canadians are so weird about apologizing. It's the kind of film that works best when you're not expecting too much, when you can just let the conversations happen and enjoy the road trip. Worth a watch.
