Victoria Day (2009)

As the school bell tolls for the last time in May 1988, the city of Toronto is awash with the nostalgic euphoria of summer's dawn, marked by the Victoria Day holiday. Ben Spektor, a 16-year-old bound by the threads of adolescence, finds himself in the throbbing heart of this youthful season, his spirit entwined with the pulse of an era that echoes the music and culture of the 1960s. Amid the Stanley Cup finals' fervor, where Wayne Gretzky's formidable Edmonton Oilers dominate the rink, the city is on the brink of a major event - a Bob Dylan concert, a spectacle that Ben, along with his two closest friends, Sammy and Noah, is destined to attend. In the shadow of the concert's electrifying atmosphere, Ben bears witness to an unassuming drug exchange between two teenagers, an event that seems mundane in its occurrence but would soon ripple into a life-altering wave. This incident, initially trivial, plants the seeds of love and death in Ben's life, compelling him to face the truth of his conscience, the complexities of his relationships, and the demands of his family. Over a transformative week, Ben's world is set to spin on a different axis. The search for a missing boy becomes an unexpected quest that intertwines with his own personal journey, as he navigates the unfamiliar terrain of a blossoming romance with the missing boy's sister. Meanwhile, his own hockey team's fate hangs in the balance, further complicated by a peculiar Vietnam re-enactment involving Victoria Day firecrackers. These seemingly disconnected events form a powerful constellation, conspiring to disrupt the tranquility of Ben's childhood, thrusting him into the whirlwind of adulthood. Over the course of one unforgettable week in 1988, the rock concert of the century, a mysterious disappearance, and a sudden sexual awakening collide to jolt Ben from the secure cocoon of adolescence into the exhilarating yet disorienting realm of adulthood.

Victoria Day is a drama movie featuring Mark Rendall and directed by David Bezmozgis.

Victoria Day is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Freevee and it's also available on Amazon Prime Video.