Formulaic sitcom-y take on the sensational story of a sperm bank father to 533. Starbuck (French-Canadian with English subtitles) strives to be more than a sperm bank yuk-fest but it gets rather schmaltzy after 42-year old David (Patrick Huard) meets 142 of his biological children. His children file a class action lawsuit demanding the sperm clinic release the identity of their father as a basic human right. David is handed an envelope containing profiles and photos of his offspring, and he becomes curious to meet some of them anonymously. The tedium: When will this irresponsible bachelor embrace fatherhood?

“Starbuck” is only intermittently funny, but it has the likeable charisma of its star Huard, who is like the best qualities of Tony Danza, Gerard Butler and Vince Vaughn in one. I don’t know many moviegoers who were looking for such a description, but that’s what I came up with. The character wears assorted soccer jerseys the entire flick, swears about, and is encumbered with an $80,000 debt. I feared for David when the loan sharks pop in for a visit. But this kind of incident is story dressing.

David meets child after child off the roster (some of them too stupid to get that this strange anonymous figure is Dad). Repetitive scenarios and climaxes beckons not spontaneity, but predictability. If you love 142 poignant but funny moments in your movies, then you might embrace this. Watch out: An America remake with Vince Vaughan (obviously!) is in the works, and will probably have more masturbation jokes than this one did, which were aplenty.

Partly inspired by the true story of an American case where a donor fathered 150.

109 Minutes. Rated R. French with English subtitles.

FOREIGN FILM / CRUDE HUMOR / SATURDAY NIGHT HA-HA

Film Cousins: “Frozen Assets” (1992); “Baby Mama” (2008); “The Switch” (2010); “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” (2012).