It’s very surprising that despite being one of the most successful movie stars of the last several decades, Richard Gere has yet to receive his first Academy Award nomination. Between starring in a Best Picture winner (Chicago), a classic romantic western (Days of Heaven), a beloved romantic comedy (Pretty Woman), an effective legal thriller (Primal Fear), and a fascinating music biopic (I’m Not There), Gere always seems to be passed over, even when his co-stars are recognized. While the continued ignorance of his work may be due to some underlying political motivations,Gere deserves to be in the Best Actor race this year for his performance in Oh, Canada, the powerful new drama from Paul Schrader.

What Is ‘Oh, Canada’ About?

Oh, Canada is based on the novel Foregone by Russell Banks, and stars Gere as the dying documentary filmmaker Leonard Fife, as he agrees to conduct an interview with documentarians Malcolm (Michael Imperioli) and Diana (Victoria Hill). Although Fife has achieved a lot in his career, often spotlighting important issues of civil injustice, he is most praised for an instance during his youth when he fled to Canada in order to avoid being drafted for the Vietnam War. Flashbacks to a younger version of Fife, played by Jacob Elordi, reveal that he was far less emphatic about his decision as he is remembered as being. As the interview continues, Fife proves to be an unreliable narrator as he struggles to determine whether he is deserving of the legacy that has been granted to him.

Gere is able to show the complexities of an aging man who has to reckon with his legacy at the end of his life. Given that Fife does not know how much time he has left, it makes sense that he would want to be completely honest about what actually happened during his youth. Even though Elordi and Gere don’t look particularly similar, the dual performances work because the film deals with the nature of objectivity; Gere even appears as the older Fife in flashbacks to indicate that some of his memories are only based on his interpretations of events. What begins as a straightforward character study becomes more of a mystery about unlocking Fife’s identity; it takes a truly charismatic actor to hold the audience’s attention for such an extended amount of time, but Gere is so nuanced in his articulation of Fife’s competing motivations that he becomes a fascinating enigma. Oh, Canada doesn’t necessarily imply that Fife is a good person, but it does examine how one seemingly inconsequential decision could end up earning someone the legacy of being a hero.

‘Oh, Canada’ Is Richard Gere’s Most Reflective Role

Gere is able to show a great deal of vulnerability in Oh, Canada, as he examines the effect that memory loss has in a manner that feels respectful, and not obviously geared towards getting attention from awards voting bodies. While the prospect of not being able to trust one’s recollections is always a terrifying one, it’s particularly challenging for someone like Fife, who has committed so much of his life to fact-based writing and artistry. Fife is someone who likes to have his work speak for itself; when he is no longer able to recognize the man he was when he first created it, he begins to feel like an imposter within his own skin. This makes the dual use of Gere and Elordi more effective, as they represent two polar extremes within Fife’s life.