One Week

Ben Tyler receives a grim cancer diagnosis and a slim chance of surviving even with treatment. Rather than check into a hospital right away, he hops on a motorcycle and begins a long, solitary cross country ride from Toronto to British Columbia. The road offers little comfort and plenty of time for his thoughts to sharpen. The trip becomes a test of endurance, as the road carves out space for his memories. Along the way he crosses paths with a free spirited woman named Samantha who reframes his outlook, and a trusted narrator comments on his choices. The film follows Ben through sweeping Canadian landscapes as he weighs time, fear, and what he wants out of life.

Directed by Michael McGowan, One Week arrived in 2008 as a Canadian adventure drama. It features Joshua Jackson as Ben and Liane Balaban as Samantha, with Campbell Scott providing narration. The screenplay is an original idea rather than an adaptation.

Critics noted the film's reflective tempo and its focus on mortality, choice, and connection. The road show takes on a meditative tone as Ben confronts personal limits, while the landscapes function almost as a character, shaping mood and the pace of self discovery. The performances add warmth that lingers.

One Week is often cited as a standout example of Canadian indie cinema that blends introspection with a road odyssey. Its use of real landscapes and intimate performances has been recognized as emblematic of a reflective strand of Canadian filmmaking and it helped spark discussions about place in cinema.