Mini-review: Last Call at the Gladstone Hotel

I was planning on reserving my Hot Docs reviews for later this week when I could find more time to put my thoughts together, but this one can’t wait. I managed to get rush line tickets for the last Hot Docs screening of Last Call at the Gladstone Hotel tonight, and I was absolutely floored by the film.

Derreck Roemer and Neil Graham did a spectacular job of showing off that side of the Gladstone that not many are familiar with; The people who brought it to where it is today. The first time I visited the Gladstone was I think in late 2004 or early 2005 in the middle of their big renovations, and was a very transitional time for the hotel. The film tells the story of the oft-forgotten residents of the Gladstone, as well as those of the staff who used to work at the hotel. They also go through how the squabbles between co-owners resulted in the Gladstone that we know and love today.

Hopefully we’ll see this doc, and many others that screened this week make their way to DVD or wider release, as I think it’s something that anyone who’s been to the Gladstone or is interested in Toronto’s rich history could really benefit from. I think the nearly sold out crowd at the Bloor cinema would also agree. I planned to make it to the last screening of Let’s All Hate Toronto, which followed this film, but by the time we got out of the theatre, the rush line for it had snaked all the way down Bloor and up the street.

Toronto’s Hot Docs International Documentary Festival wraps up today, with lots of great docs showing throughout the day. I’d highly recommend checking out the festival schedule to see what’s playing.

Update: Word from Torontoist is that Last Call will be played on TVO at 10 pm on May 9 and 13.

April 29, 2007 | Filed Under Uncategorized