Last Night (1998/I)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Don McKellar

Writer:

Don McKellar (written by)

Release Date:

23 October 1998 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It's not the end of the world... there's still six hours left

Plot:

A group of very different individuals with different ideas of how to face the end come together as the world is expected to end in six hours at the turn of the century.

Plot Keywords:

Suicide Pact | End Of The World | Interracial Sex | Streetcar | Teaching

Awards:

12 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Don McKellar	...	Patrick Wheeler
Sandra Oh	...	Sandra
Roberta Maxwell	...	Mrs. Wheeler
Robin Gammell	...	Mr. Wheeler
Sarah Polley	...	Jennifer 'Jenny' Wheeler
Trent McMullen	...	Alex
Charmion King	...	Grandmother
Jessica Booker	...	Rose
David Cronenberg	...	Duncan
Tracy Wright	...	Donna
Callum Keith Rennie	...	Craig Zwiller
Karen Glave	...	Lily
Arsinée Khanjian	...	Streetcar Mother
Chandra Muszka	...	Streetcar Daughter
Geneviève Bujold	...	Mrs. Carlton

Also Known As:

Last Night (France)
Minuit (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, language and brief violence.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

Canada | France

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Taiwan:R-18 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | France:U | Norway:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

Trivia:

The part of Sandra was specifically written for Sandra Oh.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the early moments of the movie, when the car in up on it's bumper against the pole. The girl puts her keys in the door to unlock it and when the door opens, the bell goes off, to alert that the keys are in the ignition or that the lights are on. Neither is true.

Quotes:

Patrick Wheeler: I don't want to risk having bad sex today. I don't want it to be the last thing on my mind.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Guantanamera

Impressive tale of love in a time of universal ruin

Don Mckellar's direction is outstanding in this typically edgy yet slyly romantic Canadian offering. Taking place during the last night on earth, the film expertly follows the lives of a group of people all of whom are dealing with the end of the world in their own inimitable ways. Yes, this is not something original but somehow Mckellar (who also acts in the the film) has fashioned a very watchable tale whose power lies in what we know is going to happen rather than how we get there. With a touch of off-beat Canadian humor the mundane and the surreal are often counterpointed to provide some dark humor, but the film's visual wit and wonderful use of music adds another eerie dimension. Mckellar never tells why the earth is coming to an end but there are enough 'bright' clues to satisfy the curious. It's a shame this film hasn't had more exposure. Perhaps its detached, deadpan wit was too Canadian for many.