The Sticky review: a zany maple syrup heist

The Sticky is a comedy about stealing millions of dollars worth of maple syrup. It stars Margo Martindale. Yes, Margo Martindale is the main character. And, yes, it’s a comedy. You really don’t need to know anything more to tune in to this series.

The Sticky tells more, of course. There really was a big time theft of maple syrup in Canada, but that story doesn’t quite match up with the zippy antics these characters get up to.

Here are some basics: Ruth Landry (Margo Martindale) is trying to run the family maple syrup farm on her own. Her husband Martin (Joseph Bellerose) is in a coma in a hospital bed in the family living room. She isn’t doing a very good job and is desperate for money.

She’s slowly being cheated out of her land and trees by the unscrupulous head of the maple syrup association, Leonard (Guy Nadon).

Martin is visited regularly by Mike Byrne (Chris Diamantopoulos). He seems like a nice guy who just wants to be there for Martin.

Meanwhile the mousy Remy Bouchard (Guillaume Cyr), a security guard (the only security guard) at the big maple syrup storage warehouse wants to steal a lot of the syrup. He’s been stealing a barrel a month, but he wants more.

Remy spots Mike Byrne in a restaurant. He hears him on the phone in the bathroom. He’s a criminal! In the Boston mob! Remy needs a criminal from the Boston mob!

Remy proposes a maple syrup heist to Mike. Mike adds Ruth to the heist because he knows she’s desperate. All three of them are idiots with no idea how to actually pull off a crime. Mike is a small time loser who collects envelopes of money. He is not a criminal mastermind. He’s quick with a baseball bat and a gun, though.

These three all talk at once, argue over ever possible idea for how to get the syrup, and make one stupid decision after another. The dialog is fast and profane. The music choices are inspired.

The cops are after a murderer. (See Mike, re baseball bat) The local cop Teddy Green (Gita Miller) and the big city Det. Nadeau (Suzanne Clément) chase around looking for suspects. Before long they are interested in Mike, Remy, and Ruth.

There are 6 episodes in this season. (I’m hoping for more seasons.) By episode 6, things have gotten so bad that a big shot from Boston comes looking for Mike. The big shot with the big gun is Jamie Lee Curtis in bell bottom pants and an ugly brown wig. When she hears the story of the maple syrup heist and how many millions of dollars the syrup is worth she wants in. She DOES know how to organize a heist.

I’d really like to see more of Jamie Lee Curtis. She ought to be in a second season, if there is one. Provided, of course, that she isn’t stuck in a deep freeze or something.

There are plenty of subplots. Flirting in unexpected places, entire maple trees thrown through windows, enraged townspeople who want to destroy the corrupt Leonard, over-protective fathers, helpful sisters, and cops holding hands. All the characters have serious life problems but they are dealt with in a madcap absurd way. It’s funny but it’s also real.

Brian Donovan and Ed Herro created the series. Joyce Wong directed two of the episodes. Jamie Lee Curtis was an executive producer. It’s streaming on Prime Video.

Watching anything on Prime Video is a real pain. You pay them an exorbitant yearly fee for Prime and they still throw ads into the middle of everything at 10 minute intervals. Makes me enraged! Just like the maple farmers in this series who are being taken advantage of by the rich crook at the head of the association!

But Margo Martindale is a brilliant new comedy star. And #EldersRock. So watch it no matter how annoying Prime is.