At the beginning of the eighties, Paul Schrader – famous screenwriter of Taxi Driver – offered Richard Gere a memorable role, that of a playboy accused of murder in American Gigolo.
More than 40 years have passed and the two men reunite in Oh, Canada, a dark drama about the end of the life of an internationally recognized librarian. A parallel with the life of Paul Schrader – who recently experienced major health problems.
Presented at the Cannes Film Festival in competition, Oh Canada had rather won over the professional press. The latter underlined the success of this stylistic effect which takes the form of introspection. But what about the public?
On AlloCiné, Oh, Canada receives an average spectator rating of 2.4 out of 5. A rating much lower than the director's last three films – On the Path to Redemption (3.4), The Card Counter (3.4), Master Gardener (3) -, all appreciated by the public.
Here are some opinions from AlloCiné spectators:
Among the positive reviews, all recognize the quality of Richard Gere's interpretation. And if some admit that the film is “cleaving” et “confused“, the spectators are touched by the subject.
“This film touched me enormously, this man at the end of his life who wants to face his cowardice and this under the gaze of his last wife is overwhelming“, writes domit64.
“We cannot remain indifferent to the film, this sometimes painful introspection, a sort of improvised testament“, believes islander29, who recognizes real sincerity in Oh, Canada.
“It is in its tender aspect and its production that the film convinces“, adds Naughty Doc. If he liked the film, Pascal recognizes that Oh Canada “may be disconcerting by the lack of fluidity in the unfolding of the scenario“.
A needlessly complex film?
“I didn't understand anythingreacts for his part Yves G. I didn't understand the point of view of the author and his hero. (…) This too dark fog disconcerted me.” Same feeling for Cinéphiles 44 who points out the use of flashbacks:
“These back and forths between Gere and Jacob Elordi do not seduce and are drowned in their own writings, to the point that the viewer does not feel concerned by the author's life.”
Alexandre Mayet is of the same opinion: “Very average film which tells a seemingly simple story but which likes to interweave it with complex staging effects which serve neither the emotion nor the understanding of the film.“
Christoblog concludes: “Rarely has the subject of a film interested me so little. This story of a photographer who goes into exile in Canada is of no interest to me: the adventures of his life are common and without relief.”
*The average spectator rating, recorded at the time of writing this article, is subject to change.
Oh Canada by Paul Schrader can be seen at the cinema.
Original article published on AlloCiné
