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One Week is an indie adventure drama that will take you on an emotional journey within a road trip. Ben Tyler (Joshua Jackson) is a teacher who’s struggling with rejection on his first novel. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, he takes off on a Norton motorbike, leaving his fiancée, Samantha Pierce (Liane Balaban), behind.
The narrator (Campbell Scott) is like a second character, allowing us to hear Ben’s innermost thoughts. This adds to the film’s intimate feel because it puts the viewer inside Ben’s head and heart, truly in the experience with him. We identify with Ben because, like so many of us, he’s not living up to his full potential.
The universe responds to Ben by placing kind and responsive people in his path—people who seem to know Ben better than they ought to. That is part of the film’s mysticism. Gord Downie, lead singer of The Tragically Hip, makes an impact as a soulful biker. Ben’s karma also leads him to cowgirl Fran (Jane Spidell)—and the best crying scene I’ve ever seen. Singer Emm Gryner also captivates in her film debut as Tracey.
Religious and spiritual symbols are examined throughout, as Ben grapples to become aware. The narrator tells us about the unintended consequences of Ben’s interactions—which Ben himself will never know—as the big cause-and-effect wheel continues to move.
The moment when Ben is finally honest with himself is the moment when he starts to heal. Facing his own mortality is a big wake-up call that helps him discover who he is and how he wants to live. By the time he and his fiancée have their big relationship talk, we know that he has changed—because we went on the journey with him.
It’s a credit to Liane Balaban’s acting that she plays her role with just the right amount of repressed rage. Her character is dealing with frustration over the lack of immediate medical intervention, plus the anger that Ben is not fully committed to her.
This movie also showcases the incredible talent of Joshua Jackson (currently playing Peter Bishop on the TV series Fringe). As a leading man, Jackson delivers a hat trick; he’s fearless, emotionally fluid, and highly watchable. This breakout role signals Jackson’s big movie star potential.
You’d expect a movie about a man with stage-four cancer to be serious. Instead One Week is uplifting. It’s a film about spiritual renewal. It’s about grabbing life with both hands and appreciating the mystery as it unfolds around you.
