Review of One Week (2008) by Taylor C — 25 Mar 2009

One Week is a really great independent Canadian film. Unfortunately, due to its lack of advertisements and being a Canadian-made film, not a lot of people will be able to see it. Shame, really. One Week is an awesome movie that asks the question "If you had one week to live, what would you do?".

Unlike the main character of the film, Ben Tyler, I don't have a life-threatening disease, but I often find myself in the same situation he's in. I think sometimes, "if I died, who would care? What would be the future of my family, if I had one?" or "What would I feel like I would want to accomplish before my life finally comes to an end?" For Ben, it's a trip on a motorcycle, alone, west of Toronto in hopes of reaching the Pacific Ocean.

There is a lot of beautiful scenery in the film. It really draws you in. Besides the film being mostly talking, walking, or driving someplace, it doesn't really feel boring and you get a sense of Ben's character and also the people he meets. Along the way, Ben also thinks about his marriage and whether or not he actually wants to marry his fiance. He asks a man on his travels how he knows he loves somebody, and the man replies "If you have to ask, you're not." Makes sense to me.

But my favorite part of the movie by far is when Ben is on a beach taking a picture of a foreign couple, and the couple asks Ben if he is Canadian. The couple tells him "You live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.".

Ben says "I know.".

The film is a big cheer to the awesomeness that is Canada, and also a tribute to life itself. Go on Ben's journey with him and figure out your own answer to the question: "If you had one week to live, what would you do?".