By John Corrado

★★★ (out of 4)

Solo, which recently won the Best Canadian Film prize at TIFF, is a character drama set in Montreal’s drag scene. In her third feature, Quebec writer-director Sophie Dupuis (Family First, Underground) captivatingly explores the dynamics between the performers at a Montreal gay bar.

The film centres around the relationship that forms between Simon (Théodore Pellerin), a budding drag queen who is rising through the ranks at the bar where he performs nightly, and Olivier (Félix Maritaud), the mulleted new recruit who slowly but surely makes himself the centre of attention.

The strength of Solo lies in the way that Dupuis allows this relationship to unfold, letting the audience see the ways that Olivier is becoming increasingly manipulative before Simon even realizes it. Olivier starts to control Simon in little ways, including trying to isolate him from his sister and costume designer Maude (Alice Moreault), with whom he has always shared a close bond in an otherwise messy family situation.

When their estranged mother Claire (Anne-Marie Cadieux) returns to Quebec for the first time in over a decade after leaving the family to find her fame as an opera star, Simon becomes preoccupied with trying to reconnect with her. This strained relationship between mother and son mirrors why Simon is so desperate for Olivier’s attention, even when it’s clear that he isn’t treating him with the respect that he deserves. While Solo has all the drama, mommy issues, gaslighting and catfighting that we want from a good drag drama, it’s also grounded in this more nuanced and subtle exploration of toxic relationships.

In his third collaboration with filmmaker Dupuis, Pellerin impressively carries the film with his sensitive performance as Simon, doing a good job of showing the juxtaposition between his more timid nature in real life and how he comes alive when performing on stage as his drag persona. Maritaud also provides an interesting portrayal of the subtly controlling Olivier, tasked with making us understand why Simon falls for him while also keeping the audience on edge. This includes their sizzling chemistry during their performances together, with Simon and Olivier forming a sultry onstage double act.

The film features solid direction from Dupuis, who authentically captures the backstage dynamics at the bar, with the other performers helping flesh out her richly drawn world. Dupuis balances the character drama with flashy, lip-syncing performances, as cinematographer Mathieu Laverdière captures both the drag scenes and intimate dramatic moments in a way that feels cinematic. It’s a good mix of backstage melodrama and character study, that keeps us engaged thanks to some clever writing and solid performances.

Solo is opening in limited release at the Varsity in Toronto on September 29th, before expanding to other markets on October 6th. It’s being distributed in Canada by Axia Films.