By Katy Lalonde
There are a couple of sure signs that spring is nearing- melting snow, daylight savings time and Tim Horton’s ‘roll up the rim to win.’ Not everyone will have the last one on their lists, but for most Canadians the infamous contest is as proudly Canadian as the mighty beaver.
Unfortunately the promotion has received some bad press lately, particularly in Ontario, as frustrated customers find themselves constantly left to ‘try again.’ It was about time Tim Horton’s got some good publicity. Luckily this year’s contest coincided with the release of director Michael McGowan’s One Week.
One Week is focused on the cross-country road trip of Ben Tyler (Joshua Jackson), who after learning he has terminal cancer buys a vintage motorcycle and on the advice of a Tim Horton’s cup “goes West.” Leaving his fiancé (Liane Balaban) behind in Toronto, Ben’s road trip becomes a search for the life he isn’t leading.
His journey is highlighted by visits to Canadian monuments, including the nickel in Sudbury, the goose in Wawa, a trip to Canadian Tire, Alberta’s Dinosaur Provincial Park and a chance encounter with the Stanley Cup. Any one who has driven across the country will appreciate these touchstones of Canadiana. The movie was shot in sequence, making the cross-country trek all the more realistic.
The movie also features prominent Canadian musicians- Gord Downie as a pot-smoking cancer survivor who offers Ben advice on love in a motel, Joel Plaskett, a street musician in Toronto, and Emm Gryner, a back-packing guitar player who helps Ben get over his fear of singing.
On the surface, One Week may seem like an extended Tim Horton’s ad or Canadian tourism film, but it works remarkably well as a movie. Part love story to Canada and part philosophical musings on living with an expiry date, One Week is carried by the touching performance of Jackson. Strong supporting roles by Jane Spidell, a Saskatchewan farmer and Campbell Scott as the narrator add both humour and reverence to the film.
One Week comes off as patriotic, but hardly kitschy, touching, but not sappy, and leaves viewers ready to make their own road trips. So, if you have not managed to win your free coffee or donut, buy a double-double, head to your local theatre and take solace in this quirky tribute to Canada.