Rent/buy from $2.99

Rent/buy

Rate And Review

Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
Super Reviewer
Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified.
Fandango

AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

Enter your Ticket Confirmation# located in your email.More Info

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Theater box office or somewhere else
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)
How did you buy your ticket?
- Fandango
- AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew
  
  Enter your Ticket Confirmation# located in your email.More Info
- Cinemark Coming Soon
  
  We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
- Regal Coming Soon
  
  We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
- Theater box office or somewhere else
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
You haven’t finished your review yet, want to submit as-is?

You can always edit your review after.
Are you sure?

Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers.
Want to submit changes to your review before closing?

Canary Photos

View All Photos (16)

Movie Info

Drafted into the South African army during apartheid, a young soldier joins the military's traveling choir, and romance on the battlefield causes him to deal with his long-repressed sexual identity.

Genre:

musical, gay and lesbian, drama
Original Language:

Afrikaans
Director:

Christiaan Olwagen
Producer:

Jaco Smit
Writer:

Christiaan Olwagen, Charl-Johan Lingenfelder
Release Date (Theaters):

Jun 7, 2019 limited
Release Date (Streaming):

Jun 18, 2019
Runtime:

2h
Production Co:

Marche Media (PTY) LTD

Cast & Crew

Schalk Bezuidenhout
Johan

Hannes Otto
Wolfgang

Germandt Geldenhuys
Ludolf

Gérard Rudolf
Reverend Koch

Jacques Bessenger
Reverend Engelbrecht

Beer Adriaanse
Corporal Crunchie

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for Canary

All Critics (12) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (12)

[A] rich, poignant and finely observed musical-drama.

June 6, 2019 | Full Review…

Gary Goldstein
Los Angeles Times
This surprisingly fun musical examines the effects of nationalism on a tender soul, and the bond of brotherhood among misfits.

October 19, 2018 | Full Review…

Jude Dry
indieWire
Olwagen's third feature is a winning combination of thoughtfulness and exuberance that could translate into international theatrical play beyond its fest run.

July 23, 2018 | Full Review…

Sheri Linden
Hollywood Reporter
Every once in a while comes a film that is filled with so much joy, human connection, and emotional turmoil, you know that as long as it sticks the landing, it is a masterpiece.

October 22, 2019 | Full Review…

Michael McNeely
theBUZZ
What's fantastic, though, is that [it] juxtaposes this inner turmoil with the greater problems facing South Africa in the 80s.

July 15, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Terry Mesnard
Gayly Dreadful
It's a provocative, involving journey to self-acceptance.

June 20, 2019 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
While there are cliched moments and the odd didactic part, the film overcomes these issues thanks to strong characterizations and great performances.

June 18, 2019 | Rating: 8/10 | Full Review…

Bobby LePire
Film Threat
Here is a film that celebrates the different amongst us as seen through the timeline of South Africa in 1985.

May 8, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review…

James Wegg
JWR
The story flows through its chapters, allowing us to get to know Johan, his hopes and insecurities, and the other members of the choir group.

March 22, 2019 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews
Christiaan Olwagen's hugely ambitious year-in-the-life musical charts one young man's journey to self acceptance during the height of the Apartheid regime...Bezuidenhout, who has the face of a silent film comedian, is a multi-talented lead.

March 21, 2019 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

Laura Clifford
Reeling Reviews
Christiaan Olwagen's coming-of-age drama successfully rehashes an age-old LGBTQ trope and turns it around into an earnest, warm, and at times heart-wrenching masterpiece about the human condition, marginalization and the overpowering need for acceptance.

November 3, 2018 | Rating: 10 | Full Review…

Alexander Ryll
Gay Essential
There's a widely believed theory that comedians make great dramatic actors and in the case of Schalk Bezuidenhout that is proven true.

October 19, 2018 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Theolin Tembo
Independent Online (South Africa)