Oh Canada

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Oh Canada

Released Dec 6, 2024

1h 35m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

101 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Fiery but feeling his years and his illness, ailing filmmaker Leonard Fife (Richard Gere) wants to tell his life story, unfiltered, before it's too late. As the director of lauded documentary exposés, he has much to be proud of, but his avoidance of the Vietnam War draft and his past relationships harbor thorny truths. Finally choosing to reveal the truth and lies in his life and career, Leonard sits for an extended filmed interview with his former student Malcolm (Michael Imperioli), charging ahead with candid stories about his younger self (Jacob Elordi) in the fractious 1960s and beyond. At Leonard's insistence, his wife and indispensable partner, Emma (Uma Thurman), hears it all. Leonard's successes are held up against his failings--the fibs held up against the facts--and as the man in full is cleansed of the myth, Leonard must confront what is left.

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Critics Consensus

Anchored by Richard Gere's egoless performance, Oh Canada is a thorny and sometimes muddled memory play that fits solidly into director Paul Schrader's self-reflective filmography.

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Stephen Romei

The Australian

...this film has had a profound effect on me. I wept during it...It may not have the same impact on other viewers, but that is the nature of art, and of life.

Rated: 5/5

Apr 3, 2025

Full Review

Sandra Hall

The Age (Australia)

In the end, the fragmentary shape of it all fails to invite any emotional investment in Leo or his story.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 27, 2025

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Peter Rainer

FilmWeek (LAist)

The movie doesn't have as much emotional weight as it should have been the narrative is so fractured.

Jan 17, 2025

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Simon Foster

Screen-Space

Wheelchair-bound and conveying physical and emotional pain with an aching acuity, Richard Gere gives a career-best performance in iconoclast filmmaker Paul Schrader’s introspective study of a man struggling with legacy, memory and artistry.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 30, 2025

Full Review

Simon Miraudo

Movie Squad (RTRFM 92.1)

Paul Schrader's ambient excursion into the psyche of a self-mythologising (and self-loathing) artist is equal parts enigmatic and revealing.

Rated: 3.5/5

Mar 28, 2025

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Jim Schembri

jimschembri.com

Great idea and Richard Gere creates a salty presence but the choppy nature of all the flash-backing is a drain on the attention and makes it tough to feel for the beleaguered characters.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 27, 2025

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Ghederick Eshmont

A brilliant meditation on the self-indulgence of the “draft dodgers” of the Vietnam era…however the film ends so abruptly, it questions the point?

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/21/24

Full Review

Mimi

What a horrid, despicable, depressing look at someones life choices. What was Richard Gere thinking?? Do yourself a favor and go do anything, but see this film!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/14/24

Full Review

Shannon P

It was moving, confusing, sad, and a trip back to the Vietnam war era. Worth a watch, especially if you expetienced that era.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/14/24

Full Review

Alec B

I respect Schrader's attempt at de-lionizing himself (perhaps even his whole generation?) but this isn't much more than a series of incomplete thoughts and ideas.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/06/25

Full Review

Wayne M

Oh, Canada is a fascinating portrait of a dying man. It has many fine qualities but the fractured narrative makes for a somewhat incomplete film. The film centres on documentary film maker Leonard Fife, who is dying of cancer. In his last days he invites film makers Malcolm and Diana to interview him for a documentary. He slowly recalls his remarkable life and many secrets are revealed. In flashbacks we see that he had relationships and children in his younger life in the USA. before fleeing to Canada, mainly to avoid the draft. The documentary is an opportunity for Fife to confess to the lies from his younger life, before his Canadian celebrated career. This is a very cerebral film featuring an egoless performance from Richard Gere as Fife. Celebrated director Paul Schrader makes complex films about troubled men and this is no different. However I felt the flashbacks were very disorderly making the film feel fractured at times. So a flawed film, but one featuring interesting qualities.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/01/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Boring. Could not finish watching it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/29/25

Full Review

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Paul Schrader

Director

Richard Gere

Leo Fife

Jacob Elordi

Young Leo Fife

Uma Thurman

Emma

Michael Imperioli

Malcolm

Victoria Hill

Diana

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Synopsis

Fiery but feeling his years and his illness, ailing filmmaker Leonard Fife (Richard Gere) wants to tell his life story, unfiltered, before it's too late. As the director of lauded documentary exposés, he has much to be proud of, but his avoidance of the Vietnam War draft and his past relationships harbor thorny truths. Finally choosing to reveal the truth and lies in his life and career, Leonard sits for an extended filmed interview with his former student Malcolm (Michael Imperioli), charging ahead with candid stories about his younger self (Jacob Elordi) in the fractious 1960s and beyond. At Leonard's insistence, his wife and indispensable partner, Emma (Uma Thurman), hears it all. Leonard's successes are held up against his failings--the fibs held up against the facts--and as the man in full is cleansed of the myth, Leonard must confront what is left.

Director: Paul Schrader
Producer: David Gonzales, Tiffany Boyle, Luisa Law, Scott LaStaiti, Meghan Hanlon
Screenwriter: Paul Schrader
Distributor: Kino Lorber
Production Co: Northern Lights, Vested Interest, Ottocento Films, Left Home
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 6, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 21, 2025
Box Office (Gross USA): $199.0K
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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