‘Oh, Canada’: Schrader’s Exploration of Legacy Falters in Slow-Burn

Paul Schrader’s Oh, Canada is a slow-burning but emotionally potent exploration about a man confronting the mistakes of his past.

Based on the novel Foregone by Russell Banks, the film marks Schrader’s second adaptation from the author and his second collaboration with Richard Gere since American Gigolo (1980).

The story follows Leonard Fife (Richard Gere), a revered documentary filmmaker who, nearing the end of his life, wants to set the record straight before it’s too late. He agrees to sit for a filmed interview with his former students—“The Mr. and Mrs. Ken Burns of Canada” as Leonard mockingly calls them—Malcolm (Michael Imperioli) and Diana (Victoria Hill), who are making a documentary about his career. However, Leonard hijacks the process to confess the untold truths and lies of his life.

Leonard’s past is full of moral compromises—his avoidance of the Vietnam War draft, a string of failed relationships and bold-faced deceit. As the interview unfolds, Leonard gradually reveals painful yet muddled truths, reflecting on his younger self’s (played by Jacob Elordi) long journey from youthful idealism to his eventual disillusionment. At the same time, his wife, Emma (Uma Thurman), listens intently as he confesses his heart breaking but necessary final prayer.

Schrader, known for his intense and deeply introspective films like Taxi Driver, excels at telling the seemingly self-reflective story of a man reckoning with his legend (signature raspy cough included). Inspired by Schrader’s own COVID experience, Oh, Canada is a poignant meditation on exploitation and mortality, asking: Is the damage done worth how we’re remembered?

But while thematically strong, the film occasionally stumbles in its execution.

‘Oh, Canada’s Non-Linear Narrative is a double-edged sword

The narrative, though rich in theme, is intentionally fractured and can sometimes feel disjointed. Schrader’s use of non-linear storytelling and frequent flashbacks mirrors Leonard’s inner turmoil but can distance audiences from the character’s journey.

While adding complexity, the structural choice is slightly jarring, often disrupting the emotional payoff, preventing a deeper emotional investment in Leonard’s reckoning. What starts as an intriguing character study devolves into confusion, muting the message it so desperately tries to explore.

Richard Gere’s portrayal of the tormented Leonard is the film’s core. He brings a quiet intensity to the role, capturing the internal conflict of a man who is self-aware and regretful. As an unreliable narrator, Gere makes Leonard somewhat sympathetic but as the story unfolds and his increasingly far from heroic past— like his serial womanising—comes to light, any remaining empathy is snuffed out.

Uma Thurman adds complexity as Emma, Leonard’s furtive yet supportive wife and former student, while Jacob Elordi effectively captures the young, ambitious Leonard— lacking conviction and running from himself. While the A-list cast delivers strong performances, the characters feel hard to connect with due to a lack of engaging dynamics.

Despite fractured pacing, ‘Oh, Canada’ is a sure feast for the eyes and ears

Visually, Oh, Canada is striking. Schrader skilfully shifts warm tones, colour palettes and aspect ratios to reflect Leonard’s state. The cinematography heightens the film’s atmosphere of America in the 50’s and 60’s, blending the historical and personal. The soothing lo-fi score by Phosphorous further sets the reflective mood, lending a calming contrast to the emotionally heavy narrative subjects.

While the pacing can be slow, Oh, Canada is still a worthwhile character study. It may not be for everyone—especially those who prefer a more linear narrative—but fans of slow paced dramas with deeply flawed leads, Schrader’s introspective style or films like The Father will find much to appreciate in this exploration of the myth behind an artist’s legacy and search for redemption.

Despite Oh, Canada’s strong visuals, thematic ambition and strong lead performance making it an interesting meditation on mortality and regret, its pacing and narrative confusion results in a slow and meandering film.

As young Leonard crosses the border to a new life and the final note of the quirky guitar rendition of Oh, Canada plays out, the film may leave you thinking about the choices we make and how they shape who we become in the end–but lacking any lasting emotional effect to back up the meditation.

★★★

Oh, Canada is out in cinemas now.