Greetings again from the darkness. For a film that takes its title from a 1977 Leonard Cohen album and includes (I counted seven) songs from the icon throughout the film, we can expect something other than a light-hearted rom-com. And that's before we discover that the leading character is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Writer-director Matt Bissonnette's film was well received on the festival circuit in 2021 and is now being released VOD.
Gabriel Byrne (brilliant, as usual) stars as Samuel O'Shea, a twice-divorced professor based in Montreal and spending entirely too much time with drink(s) in hand. Samuel begins experiencing hallucinations ... all too real hallucinations. Initially these include the Frankenstein monster at the pub, and a bizarre, choreographed hockey ice dance at his son's (Antoine Olivier Pilon) game. From there, the visions get even stranger - often including lip-synching to a Leonard Cohen song. One exception is the recurring vision of his late father (Brian Gleeson), who died as a young adult. These interactions are 'normal' conversations, often filled with fatherly advice.
Once he receives the fatal diagnosis, Samuel does what anyone would do - he heads to the family cottage in Ireland in order to take stock of his life. He also decides to write the novel that he's always wanted to write. This stage of life (waiting to die) and writing the novel can both take many shapes. In fact, Samuel's novel is about his life, his regrets, and about whether a late-life romantic relationship can work. Charlotte Lafleur (Jessica Pare, "Mad Men") enters, having a significant impact on Samuel, his outlook, and his writing.
Younger viewers may find this one a bit difficult to connect with; however, I expect many of those over age 50 will relate very well to what Samuel goes through. The film was well received on the festival circuit in 2021 and is only now getting streaming distribution. It's not perfect, yet it's a creative view of what one experiences after being told their time is limited.
Releasing on VOD beginning September 26, 2025.
