Just over a decade ago, the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist became the biggest robbery in the country’s history. Now, Brian Donovan and Ed Herro have put their own “Fargo”-like spin on the real-life theft in Prime Video’s beautifully unhinged dramedy thriller, “The Sticky.” Set in 2011 in a tiny Quebec town where syrup is king, the audience is introduced to three unlikely and outlandish characters. There’s Ruth (a winning Margo Martindale), a bitter maple farmer determined to keep her farm afloat while caring for her comatose husband. Mike (Chris Diamantopoulos), an associate of Ruth’s husband, is a Boston mobster who often lashes out before thinking. And finally, there is Remy (Guillaume Cyr), a well-meaning security guard at the Quebec Maple Association who is a bit of an ignoramus. This unlikely crew bands together for a zany mission full of hijinks and false starts. Breezy, fun and entirely insane, “The Sticky” is a wild and wacky ride that viewers will eagerly slurp up.
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The six-episode crime drama begins, as many do, with a dead body. However, this body happens to be submerged in a vat of maple syrup. As the series flashes back 48 hours, the audience is introduced to Ruth, who has just learned her farm has been shut down and her syrup confiscated. At the Quebec Maple Association’s warehouse, Remy is angered after being shamed and humiliated after petitioning his boss, Léo (Mickaël Gouin) for a promotion and additional security to help him guard the reserves of syrup. Finally, Mike, a low-level criminal, visits various businesses in town collecting “rent” on behalf of his bosses. At the center of this tale is Leonard Gauthier (Guy Nadon), the head of the Maple Association (and Léo’s father). He swindles local farmers hand over fist using restrictive rules, bullying and unfair buyouts.
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In dire need of cash, Ruth turns to Mike, who connects her to Remy. The trio decides to beat Leonard and the Quebec Maple Association at their own game by making off with $150 million of the poorly guarded syrup. However, as the volatile gangster, the caregiver and bumbling daddy’s boy begin to plot and scheme, things don’t exactly go according to plan. With such a tight-knit community, nothing much slides under the radar. Moreover, when a man turns up dead, and Montreal-based Detective Valérie Nadeau (Suzanne Clément) comes in to investigate, she and local police officer Teddy Green (Gita Miller) quickly start putting the pieces together.
“The Sticky” is absolutely preposterous in all the best ways. The criminals constantly try to shift and change plans before their window to pull off the larceny closes. However, they come close to being discovered in nearly every episode. Episode 3, “Margins,” is particularly hilarious when the group finds themselves locked away in a storage unit to evade police detection. Though the entire series is breezy and fun, the penultimate chapter, Episode 5, “Blade,” is top-notch. As plans for the heist crumble, Ruth, Remy and Mike start turning on each other. (Also, Jamie Lee Curtis makes a flawless and surprising cameo.)
While the series is focused on the theft of sweet sap, the core characters are three people desperate to break free from oppressive systems and circumstances. Unfortunately, they aren’t tolerable individuals. One of the most delicious bits about “The Sticky” is that its central figures are so ridiculously awful that audiences often can’t decide whether they want the robbery to succeed. Also, secondary figures (especially those with shockingly awful French Canadian accents) add to the show’s depth. For example, Nadon’s Leonard is so comically greedy that he is often jeered at and publically lambasted.
The Blumhouse television-produced series is undoubtedly violent and even shocking, but it never stops being a complete ball of fun. Additionally, since the real-life crime is extensive and involves many more key figures, it’s pleasing that the show ends on a shocking cliffhanger, which hints at the possibility of another season. Still, even in this first season, “The Sticky” is a delightful, suspenseful adventure full of jokes, bizarre situations and a sharp cast.
The six episodes of “The Sticky” premiere on Dec. 6 on Prime Video.
