Film Review - Oh, Canada
Images courtesy of Transmission Films.
Filmmaker Paul Schrader has made a significant contribution to American cinema, known for his many writing collaborations with Martin Scorsese that famously include Taxi Driver. As of late, he’s been releasing smaller and more personal projects, such as First Reformed, The Card Counter and Master Gardener. For his latest film, Oh, Canada, he reunites with his American Gigolo leading man, Richard Gere.
Based on the 2021 novel Foregone by Russell Banks, this melancholy drama film follows documentary filmmaker Leonard Fife, who is played by Gere in the present and Jacob Elordi in flashbacks. While ill and on his deathbed, Fife agrees to be candidly interviewed by one of his former students, Malcolm (Michael Imperioli), and reveal the truth about his life. With his current wife, Emma (Uma Thurman) by his side, he confesses to lies and untold tales that he has kept hidden for many years. From fleeing to Canada to avoid serving in the Vietnam War, to a secret marriage and child, he tries to demythologise the respected figure he has now become. The line between fact and fiction is unravelled as Fife confronts his past and actions.
On paper, Oh, Canada sounds like it could be a recipe for success. A meditative reflection on life and legacy, with great actors like Gere, Elordi, Thurman and Imperioli, and helmed by one of American cinema’s most respected filmmakers. Unfortunately, the execution doesn’t live up to what is promised. The best thing about the film is undoubtedly the committed Gere, who transformatively steps into the elderly version of Fife, and conveys his character’s current suffering and confusion extremely effectively. The main problem with Oh, Canada is the way in which the narrative is presented. The film constantly jumps back and forth between the present and past, but is done so with a lack of cohesion and structure. Because of this, the timeline becomes messy and difficult to follow. While Fife is in a state of constant disorientation about his own memories, so are the audience. Perhaps this was done with intention, but it fails to keep the viewer engaged. Another issue is the film’s laboriously slow pacing, which can’t be justified by interesting subject matter. This could be a result of the convoluted storytelling, but Fife’s journey and experience simply lacks emotional excitement and interest, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly what Shrader wants audiences to take away from this film. Perhaps the book offers more in this way, but that isn’t translated to the screen.
Oh, Canada tries to be profound and contemplative, but disappointingly, is not as deep or compelling as it thinks it is.
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Oh, Canada is screening in select cinemas now. For tickets and more info, click here.