Last Night

On New Year's Eve in Toronto, a city full of quiet routines braces for a world ending at the stroke of midnight. Rather than a grand catastrophe, Last Night follows a mosaic of ordinary people as they cling to the everyday and search for meaning in the final hours. Don McKellar plays Patrick Wheeler, and Sarah Polley portrays his wife Jennifer as two of the many neighbors whose lives briefly intersect in small, intimate moments. We glimpse a single father, a bookstore clerk, and a nurse, each facing love, fear, and the wish to say something true before time runs out. The film keeps its focus on human bonds, humor, and tenderness instead of sensational disaster.

Directed by Don McKellar, Last Night is an original screenplay that tightens a large idea into a single night in Toronto. The film relies on intimate conversations, naturalistic dialogue, and a tight budget to keep the focus on people, not spectacle.

Critics welcomed the balance of wit and pathos, noting the ensemble performances especially Polley and McKellar and the film's patient, intimate approach to mortality. The scenes unfold through dialogue and small gestures rather than explosions, inviting viewers to notice what characters choose when time may run out. The themes circle love, memory, and the quiet acts that sustain a life under pressure.

In the landscape of late 1990s Canadian cinema Last Night stands as a durable example of an indie ensemble drama that treats the city as more than a backdrop. Toronto feels alive through its pedestrians, storefronts, and late-night silhouettes, a choice that has influenced later urban dramas in the country. The film's restrained storytelling, emphasis on ordinary conversations, and fusion of humor with melancholy are often cited in discussions of how Canadian filmmakers explored personal stakes without grand spectacle.

Awards: The film garnered nominations at major Canadian industry awards, recognizing its screenplay and performances and earning praise for its restraint and emotional clarity. Critics highlighted the way the film balances humor and sorrow without resorting to sentimentality, a hallmark of McKellar's work.