Jacob Elordi Channels Young Richard Gere in ‘Oh, Canada’

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More than 40 years after American Gigolo, Richard Gere reunites with Paul Schrader for this raw and gripping adaptation of Russell Banks’s novel.

What would you do with your most guarded secrets if you knew your time was almost up? Would you find the courage to share them or take them to the grave? As the clock ticks, it’s tempting to let some things stay buried, to protect the image you’ve built and the loved ones who’ve stood by you.

But secrets can sometimes cast shadows over memories—making it hard to see what’s true and imagined. Oh, Canada captures this conflict as Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi bring to life a man wrestling with his past, standing on the edge of confession in his final days. Through Leonard Fife’s story, we’re reminded that the truth has a way of surfacing, even when it’s hardest to tell.

Here’s Everything You Need to Know About ‘Oh, Canada’

In this highly anticipated drama directed by Paul Schrader, we’re pulled into the complex life of Leonard Fife, a famous Canadian filmmaker confronting his past in his last days. Gere plays the older, reflective Leonard, while Jacob Elordi takes on the role of his younger self.

The story begins when Leonard agrees to one last interview with Malcolm (played by The Sopranos star Michael Imperioli), a former student of his. But as the story progresses, it becomes less of an interview and more of a confession—as Leonard reveals long-held secrets to his wife, Emma (Uma Thurman), who stands by his side as his life story unravels.

The official synopsis sets the stage: “Leonard Fife, one of 60,000 draft evaders and deserters who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Vietnam, shares all his secrets to de-mythologize his mythologized life.” It’s an intimate portrait of a man forced to confront the highs and lows of his life as the myth fades away, leaving only the raw truth. Through this final interview with Malcolm, Leonard revisits the choices that shaped him, pulling him back to pivotal moments in West Virginia in 1968, torn between his future in Canada and the life he left behind.

The trailer, released by Kino Lorber, teases an emotional and visual journey. Leonard, haunted by his choices and regrets, retraces his steps, from his escape to Canada as a draft refugee to his transformation as an artist. His story shifts between his past and present, moving through loves lost and memories that reveal the beauty and pain of a deeply lived life. But as Leonard recounts his past, it’s clear to Malcolm—and the audience—that reality and memory blur. “He’s mixing things together,” Malcolm points out to Emma, caught between admiration and skepticism. “Memories, films, fantasies, other people’s stories.”

The film explores the duality of Gere’s older Leonard and Elordi’s young Leonard, their performances woven with the weight of painful recollection and self-reflection. One of the trailer’s most powerful lines, voiced by Gere, echoes the film’s themes: “When you have no future, all you have left is your past.” 

Set for theatrical release on December 6, Oh, Canada invites viewers into Leonard’s inner world, as he faces who he was and who he has become in a final attempt to find closure. The film made its debut at Cannes, where it vied for the Palme d’Or, and has since captivated audiences at the Toronto and New York Film Festivals with its unflinching portrayal of human fragility. The film’s cast is stacked with talent—from Richard Gere to Jacob Elordi, Uma Thurman, Michael Imperioli, Victoria Hill, and Kristine Froseth—all bringing depth to this powerful narrative.

Based on Russell Banks’s novel Foregone, this is Schrader’s second Banks adaptation, following Affliction in 1997. Known for his dark, introspective style, Schrader has shaped Oh, Canada into a nuanced exploration of life’s bittersweet truths. Produced by an impressive team, including David Gonzales, Tiffany Boyle, Luisa Law, Scott LaStaiti, and Meghan Hanlon, the film promises nothing but a lasting impact.With its raw emotion and powerful storytelling, Oh, Canada is set to be a thought-provoking meditation on time, memory, and reflection over things done over a lifetime. Are you ready for an unforgettable journey into a life of passion, regret, and the complex beauty of a life lived? This feels like another A Man Called Otto and The Bucket List. Get your tissues ready.

^{Cover image credit: Kino Lorber}