One Week - A Review.

Rating: * * *1/2

A slice of drama, served amidst the health crisis that befalls our protagonist. A Canadian import that's steeped in its idyllic landscapes, and a soul-stirring score.

The lead, Ben Tyler (Joshua Jackson) is diagnosed with cancer, which leads to him taking inventory of the days he has left. He has a nice family, and is about to get married to the love of his life. But the debilitating news forces our protagonist to start seeing everything in new light, and on a whim, he decides to take a cross-country road trip on his bike, to seek out something that never existed. This trip serves as a stepping stone for our hero, to eventually reach the point of realization, and call spade a spade. So, in a way, the trip helps Ben do some soul-searching, and experience reprieve from the responsibilities, the commitments, and indecisions that had plagued his life. The trip provides him with a moment of clarity, to review himself, his actions, and its consequences, that ripples through everyone around him. He visits all the famous landmarks, prairies, sanctuaries, to provide milestones for his trip. Through the people he meets along the way, he's able to build on their insights and experiences, and use it as a touchstone to gauge his own life and disposition. A couple of momentary, dense, and retrospective events, lead him beyond the eventual path of self-denial, inhibition and tenuous commitments.

The movie rests solely on the lead's ability, and Joshua Jackson never disappoints. The movie required an actor that could pull off scenes of calm angst, bruised outlook, and inherent confidence in the face of haphazard chaos; Joshua Jackson had all of the above in his repertoire. Other actors, particularly Joshua's fiancee Samantha (Liane Balaban), was decent in her role as well. The movie is riddled with picturesque scenery, which only helps to enjoy the calm nature of the concept's treatment. The director didn't lead the movie with heavyhanded, or preaching approach. He was able to provide the deft touch and mature handling that the movie demanded. However, the movie didn't have too many emotional pitfalls where a director's capability could be tested, but he did his best with whatever the movie had to offer. In terms of story, there's nothing one hasn't experienced in other movies like "The Motorcycle Diaries", or "Into The Wild"; all of which are way better than this one. But, due to the quality of the performance, some subtly fine touches by the director, the movie is not a total drag. One more thing, this movie has probably the best collection of songs I've come across in a very long time; "Once" was another such movie. Every other 10 minutes or so, a very soothing score flows along the mountain bends amidst the dense treeline. To be honest, the soundtrack itself is one helluva reason to give this movie a go. Not one song is off the track, and they complement every scene and the emotional quotient of the characters.

Apart from the average content and lack of some emotional complexities, this movie is a pleasure to all your senses. One could sit down on a rainy day, enjoy the movie's misty feel, and be transported to the visual halo the movie is dipped in.