What To Watch In Theaters: Oh, Canada

Leonard Fife (Gere), a documentary filmmaker who has terminal cancer, sits for an extended oncamera interview turned confessional with a former student (Michael Imperioli).

Leonard is an American who fled to Canada decades ago to avoid serving in the Vietnam War, leaving behind a young wife and baby. Told partly in flashbacks with Jacob Elordi playing his younger self, Leonard’s story allows him to expose his failings and debunk the myths surrounding his famed films. When it becomes clear he’s confusing events from his past, his wife (Thurman) tries to shut the project down, but Leonard insists on facing up to his mistakes.

Oh, Canada reunites Gere with director Paul Schrader, who first worked with him on Gere’s 1980 breakthrough, American Gigolo. The actor’s pitch-perfect performance in this meditation on aging and legacy is sure to garner Oscar attention.