what we find beautiful may appear banal or ugly to others. And the point he's making here becomes much clearer ... and far more essential. [18 strong adult themes, nudity, language] 13.Jan.04 This atmospheric drama from first-time filmmaker Heffernan certainly has its moments, creating a real sense of foreboding and mystery as it sends three people on a life-changing all-night odyssey through Montreal. And while it suffers from some of the pitfalls of first-film syndrome, it's also an auspicious debut from an actor-writer-director to watch. Sam (Heffernan) is a nice guy in his small-town suburb, somewhat shocked when his friend Niki (Simkin) tells him she's pregnant ... with his child. Wanting to do the right thing, he takes her out for a nice evening in the city, but along the way everything goes wrong and they're separated. Sam joins with the annoyed young Rachel (Lane) to track down a thief (Hershler) who's stolen something important from both of them. Meanwhile, Niki encounters a seasoned hooker (DePass) and her rebellious teen daughter (Badaki). It's all leading to a moment of truth as the sun rises in the morning. Beautifully shot, with a nice use of light and shadow as well as the expressive faces of the young cast, the film looks terrific. Meanwhile, the introspective script keeps us interested in the various twists of fate for Sam, Niki and Rachel. The dialog is refreshingly natural, even as the plot goes through some fairly outrageous turns. Performances are solid--especially from Heffernan and