By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Don McKellar
Starring: Arsinée Khanjian | Callum Keith Rennie | David Cronenberg | Don McKellar | Geneviève Bujold | Jackie Burroughs | Roberta Maxwell | Robin Gammell | Sandra Oh | Sarah Polley | Tracy Wright
Country: canada, france
Year: 1999
Running time: 95
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156729/reference
Michael says: “Dare I say it? Don McKellar has created the most Canadian of apcalyptic movies. I mean that 100% as a compliment, because LAST NIGHT is one of my favorite films of all time. The world is going to end at midnight. Everyone knows it, and they’ve known for a little while. The reasons are never explained; it’s not that kind of movie. It’s more about the people and how they face the coming apocalypse. What makes so so Canadian is that this film doesn’t follow the scientists, racing to find a solution to save the world at the last second. Nor does it follow (except a bit, on the fringes) the chaos that some folks might indulge in knowing the world was ending and there would be no repercussions. Mostly it follows the quiet ways individuals want to spend their final moments, or the desire to do something that they hadn’t been able to do yet. Or maybe they just want to be alone and reflect.
“An ensemble piece, the film circles around Patrick. Still reeling over the death of his wife from cancer, he only wants to spend some quiet time alone before the end of the world. Familial obligations out of the way (a sweet, and highly amusing recreation of long past family Christmases) he finds himself wrapped begrudgingly wrapped up in the challenge of helping Sandra get home to her husband. They just want to share one last romantic dinner together, but while Sandra was picking up food at the market, her car was overturned by looters. In their quest for a way to get Sandra home, the pair seek help from Patrick’s old friend Craig, who is going through his own checklist of sexual acts that he never experienced… including his high school French teacher, Mrs. Carlton. There are other lovely characters, Patrick’s sister Jennifer, Donna, a single woman who is diligently working the last hours of the world to ensure the gas stays on, and some more disturbing hovering around the borders of the story.
“McKellar does triple duty, as writer, director and actor (he plays Patrick). He’s perfectly suited for the job. His script is really lovely, dark and somber, laced with grief and sadness, but with a quirky, dry wit that keeps things lighter than you would expect. The humanity of the central characters is put on display, despite their disparate paths to the end. As a director, he really knows how to work with actors, with the ensemble really putting in some powerful work; and it’s a who’s who of Canadian talent, we’re talking: Sandra Oh, Callum Keith Rennie, Geneviève Bujold, Sarah Polley, Tracy Wright, David Cronenberg… and so many more, each taking their moments and making them real and so lovely. The final minutes of the film are some of the most breath-taking and moving — somewhat unexpected, but then again, given the tone of the movie throughout, perhaps not. 5 cats“