Last Night (1998)

Canadian film just released in America.

I think the powers-that-be are trying to hype this film by using the topicality of the coming of the new millennium. But they don't realize how bored we all are with this theme. And the film has nothing to do with it. I saw this film kinda by accident and I'm so glad I did. It's not perfect. But it's damn good.

The "Last Night" in question isn't necessarily December 31, 1999. It's not about the coming of the millennium; It's about the end of the world. It takes the simple premise of "the world is going to end in 6 hours and everybody knows it" and runs with it. It's a well-used idea, no doubt, but writer/director Don McKellar makes some good play of it.

The whole film is slightly Hal Hartley-esque, so it's no surprise that an Asian woman is a main character. McKellarseems to use the influence of Hartley's nihilistic art films only slightly, however. It's simply a minor homage. The film begins on sort of an off note, however, before it becomes Hartley-esque. It tries to be a bit of a black comedy. This is a small faux paus too. McKellar doesn't need to try so hard. When he trusts himself here, his film is magical.

There are a few story lines involved but most end up actually relating to Patrick, the main character which McKellar plays himself. Patrick first visits his family on this, his last night, of all of their nights on Earth, and deals with their middle-class ridiculousness. It's rather drab. At least his sister is played by Sarah Polley, so there is something there to make us take interest. Wisely, a bit into the film, McKellar shows us other folks on their last night as well. And, in someways, he lets all the stories that are to come, unfold at their own speed. We get to know what is happening, or at least figure it out, slowly. And then McKellar slowly begins to tie it all together.

Callum Keith Rennie plays Craig, who has an agenda of his own for this, the "last night." When he finally comes togethe rwith Patrick, who it turns out is an old friend, the event is wonderful and interesting. McKellar is wise and wonderful to go here and then to take the plotline/idea only as far as he does. It's good and truthful stuff.

But the true crux of the story comes when McKellar meets Sandra, played by Sandra Oh. Meshing their stories together, for the most inconsequential of reasons, that are only valid given the circumstances, McKellar propels the film to it's final magnificent moment. How this film ends is the proof of the pudding. It's quite substantial and satisfying. Not to mention that it's also beautiful and poignant and wonderful and pure cinematic rapture. Quite appropriate, it seems.

And it must be noted that McKellar makes quite good use of what must have been a rather low budget. The film uses many scenes of chaos in the street and implies the sort of looting and destruction that would surely occur if the world were indeed going to end. Every frame looks true. There is no large budget special effects to pull this off. Instead,McKellar goes for the "small picture" and proves his setting. But it never once rings false. He also uses a great music score, calling on many forgotten 70's pop hits to flavor the film with that sort of mindless nihilistic 70's feel. That decade was particularly decadent and it all emanated from asort of apocalyptic unfaith that somehow radiated throughout the country, and in fact the world, during the time. Sort of due to the height of the Cold War but also due to the emergence of a mistrust of government due to the JFK assassination, Viet Nam and the bomb, air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, inflation, and drugs, in particular, cocaine, the 70's had us all thinking about the end of the world. It's a theme that anyone in their mid-30's can surely relate to. McKellar calls upon that here and flavors the film beautifully simply by playing a DeFrancoFamily song.

Notes:

Also with David Cronenberg, Genevieve Bujold, and Arsinee Khanjian.

The weird hoods in the convertible stopped by McKellar when he's trying to help Oh get home are played by producer Daniel Iron and Canadian directors Bruce McCulloch (bearded) and Francois Girard.

Filmed in Toronto, a city of which McKellar is a native.

The film, it's cast and crew have been nominated for many awards and won quite a few as well.

The film is one of 6 McKellar was involved with which wereshown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival.

The film was released int he US in 1999.

Report Card

Script: A-

Acting: A-

Cinematography\Lighting: C

Special Effects\Make Up: A+

Music: A+

Final Grade: A