How a Real Maple Syrup Heist Inspired the Completely Made-Up ‘The Sticky’
Why do we watch horror movies? Well, I for one, do not! I’m way too scared, thank you very much. But why do others enjoy them? I’d guess brain damage but scientists claim it’s to experience true fear from a safe environment. Put more grandiosely: it’s a way to deal with our own mortality.
The horror genre is alive and well, but let me posit that true crime is our generation’s new horror. Everywhere you look, today’s audiences are grappling with their mortality through books, documentaries, podcasts, movies or television shows.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
And it is that final arena, TV, in which I found myself embedded when I co-created The Sticky (along with Brian Donovan). Inspired by the true crime dubbed, “The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist” in which scofflaws from The Great White North absconded with almost $20 million (CAD) of the sweet stuff.
Of course, the real crime was slow, methodical and, let’s face it, kinda boring. The crooks eventually got caught (at least some of them) then served prison time (even fewer of them). Their story could have been told myriad ways and, if the current TV market had anything to say about it: the best way to tell any true crime is to be as bleak, haunting and gory as possible. Hey, no bad ideas in brainstorming! But for someone who feels there’s already enough horror in the real world, we wanted to chart a different tack. What if this true crime was heartbreaking, desperate and through it all, somehow pretty damn funny?
The real story wasn’t funny at all, but once I allowed myself to diverge from the facts, all those unexpected qualities raced to the forefront. I’ve always enjoyed telling underdog stories. Tales of folks fighting against the odds, their backs against the wall. Probably because I was a small kid and my back was up against many of the finest walls that grade schools and high schools had to offer. (Hint: avoid concrete, aim your back toward a nice soft wood: aspen or white pine if available).
So we started there. Who would be so desperate that stealing maple syrup was not only a good solution, but the only solution? By ignoring the actual crime and focusing on the fictional characters the answer immediately became clear. It was equally important to not have all three leads driven by the same desire. Not only would that be repetitive but it wouldn’t be fun. In fact, much of the joy of the series is watching three completely different characters with three completely different agendas go after the same prize for three completely different reasons.
Armed with that foundation it was possible to dip their toes into the serious and heartbreaking bits without going overboard and drowning in it. By leaning into the seriousness and reality of each lead’s psyche, it’s possible to find the funny while still pulling off the “true crime.” Because our characters aren’t just pieces to move around to pull off said crime. They are fueled by their own insecurities and limitations. And they can’t help but get in their own way.
Brian and I pitched the tone of the series as if he and I were forced to steal 500 cows. We could do it! At least part of it! I mean, we wouldn’t get all 500 home alive — many holsteins would get loose or die. But if our very lives depended on it, we’d get the job done. Sorta. And although we’d be covered in manure by the end, we wouldn’t be laughing about it at all. We’d be horrified and trembling with trauma endorphins. But if someone else watched us try to hijack those heifers, they’d laugh until the cows came home (or die in traffic).
Of course, it helps to have fantastic actors behind the characters. Margo Martindale is a national treasure and can do drama and comedy in equally magnificent measure. Chris Diamantopoulos had the exact hungry energy we didn’t even know we needed to bring his low-level Boston mobster to life. And Guillaume Cyr possesses the vulnerability to be likable no matter what he does on screen. Additionally, all three actors instinctively knew that they were not there to make jokes. We talked about it a lot: none of their characters think they’re funny at all. So like any good burp or fart (comedy classics!), the funniness comes during the most silent parts.
So take your horror, Jamie Lee Curtis (who also executive produces and has a small role in the series)! Go deal with your own mortality, audiences! But for my money (CAD), I want to see a truly desperate gang pull off a completely absurd crime in a way that finds some sweetness in this oh-so-sour world.
***
Ed Herro is the co-creator of Amazon’s The Sticky, now streaming on Prime Video.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
