One Week

Directed (written and produced) by Micheal McGowan, Mongrel Media, 2008. Starring Joshua Jackson, Liane Balaban and Campbell Scott.

Genre: Adventure, Drama.

Question: Have you ever come face to face with your own mortality? I have - it has quite a sobering effect. But the real question I should ask - what would you do if you knew you only had a small amount of time left on this earth?

Joshua Jackson, probably best known for Dawson's Creek and, now, Fringe, stars as the man answering that question. When we first meet him, we see he is a man stuck in his own life due to some early rejections. He never really accomplished anything, including getting his first novel published because of his fear of more rejection. However, after discovering his fate, he jumps out of his shell because he must.

I think Joshua Jackson did a fantastic job with a subject matter not many of us have ever had to deal with. His mannerisms and the emotions he shows with just his eyes - allow you to imagine what he is going through. But One Week doesn't always tell you what he is thinking. This is one reason why I love independent films. They let the audience interpret the story. The writer-director must also get a shout-out for creating such a thought-provoking film.

Death is not something many want to discuss let alone have a debate about, and this film doesn't patronize the audience with its moral standing. In fact, it simply chronicles this man's journey as he rediscovers his own country, Canada, while he tries to wrap his head around the fact that he will probably die. As I watched this movie I saw parts of Canada that were truly spectacular and made me want to book a ticket up there.

I stumbled upon this film on a Netflix instant viewing list and was pleasantly surprised at what a good film it was. Yes, I mentioned I was faced with my own mortality and that probably gave me a deeper appreciation for One Week. But I don't think anyone could watch this and not contemplate about what they would do if they were in this situation.

Just as prevalent as the Canadian backdrop was in this film, the soundtrack intertwines itself into this story with several Canadian musicians and bands. It's a pretty good soundtrack with some cameos by some of the artists themselves. There was also narration, by Campbell Scott, in One Week. I am usually not a fan of a lot narration but it worked well in this story.

This movie begs the question: where would you go if nothing held you back?

My favorite thing: Realizing Joshua Jackson is a pretty decent actor - long way since The Mighty Ducks.

My least favorite thing: Reminding me that my own book isn't published yet.

Random thought: Every time I see Joshua Jackson I think he is somehow related to George Clooney. It is uncanny how many of their mannerisms are alike - even those eyes. Spooky!

Rating: NR
Length: 94 minutes

Review: 7 out of 10