18/22
Based on the novel 'Foregone' by Russell Banks
Chronology
Leonard Fife, one of the sixty thousand draft dodgers and deserters who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Vietnam, shares all his secrets to demythologize his mythologized life. IMDb editor Arno Kazarian offers snapshots of 12 films he screened at the 2024 New York Film Festival, including Anora and the dangerous, oddly erotic Misericordia..
Featured in Film Junk Podcast: Episode 961: In a Violent Nature + TIFF 2024 (2024)
This is the second time Paul Schrader has directed one of Banks' novel for the screen, following its adaptation Affliction (1997).. I saw this in Cannes, at the premiere of the film.
The film is beautifully made with strong visuals
OH, CANADA is a very original film by one of the masters of cinematography, a true work of art. It features beautiful cinematography and excellent production design.
The acting is strong, especially Richard Gere who plays the protagonist
He gives a great and unforgettable performance in the spirit of Jack Nicholson in FIVE EASY PIECES – a complicated, not always likable, but believable character. It may not be for everyone, but I think it is one of Paul Schrader’s greatest achievements and a gift to cinema lovers. Recommended.