Some actor. This film is convincingly, tiresomely seedy. It’s not quite saying that everything is betrayal, or at least it’s not quite meant that way. But given how things are, and what’s expected and required of you, and the calibre of people in the vicinity, everything is betrayal.
It comes across as (J-P) Melville-like. Inspiration? Possibly, or maybe it’s that different people in different places independently discover the same best methods. Countering slightly the grimy depressiveness of the thing is a faithful day-to-day perseverance, in both script and protagonist.
Real hockey footage! Bobby Orr is obvious. But did you see Tony Esposito?