Kevin Barlow (
Roy Dupuis) will die on schedule and according to regulations. Harry Parlington (
Serge Houde), director of the Cantos execution facility, intends to make sure of it. However Barlow chooses to go, be it calmly or fighting violently to the end, Parlington feels confident that he and his team can deal with the situation. Father Preston is on hand to provide spiritual guidance, if needed. Doctor Lowe (
Vlasta Vrana) can provide pills to relieve the tension. The tie-down crew, all veterans of many executions, work swiftly and efficiently. All angles appear to be covered, until Parlington discovers there are many more angles to Kevin Barlow than he had first imagined.
When Barlow makes a baffling and unusual final request, a strange duel ensues between the condemned man and the prison director. In this struggle there can be no winner or loser, only two men faced with doubts and difficult choices to make. The iron grip Parlington usually maintains on the execution procedure begins to slip as the final hours become a maze of manners of dying.
Canadian Connection: Filmed in Quebec with a Canadian director and mostly Canadian cast.
Its was intriguing and kept you interested in the offering of different scenarios as to how a person may react to their upcoming execution.
This is an intelligent and provocative film adaptation of a short story by Canada’s own Booker Prize Winner Yann Martel (Life of Pi). So, if over 70% of voters indicate 5 Stars, then why does TRIBUTE.CA give equal space to an obviously disgruntled audience member? This gives the impression that both comments are on equal footing and taints the more positive and prevalent voter comment.
Jeremy Peter Allen’s debut feature film is a powerful adaptation of a Yann Martel short story, with amazing performances by Roy Dupuis & Serge Houde in the lead roles. Manners of Dying may well be one of the strongest films ever to come out of Canada.