We're Baaaack! (and with a New Review)

Sorry for the delay. This blog seemed to go on hiatus this summer. Between vacation, the Olympics, the DNC and the RNC, there was just too much good television going on to catch any movies. However, CINEMAGIRL happened to watch a good rental last night and here's her view......



AWAY FROM HER
Released 2007, Directed by actress Sarah Polley
Starring: Julie Christie as Fiona Anderson and Gordon Pinsent, as her husband Grant.
Based on the short story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain"

REVIEW by CINEMAGIRL:

This film was beautiful in scenery and in story. Away From Her takes place in the snow-covered north of Canada where Fiona and Grant live out their days at a lovely (frozen) lakeside cottage.

It is apparent early on that Fiona is struggling with memory loss. Not just "Oh, damn! Where did I put my keys?" She has forgotten how to pronounce some words and she has gotten lost on her daily cross-country ski. She and Grant quickly realize that she must have an evaluation to figure out what's going on.

As it turns out, Fiona is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. She makes the bold decision to move out of her cottage and away from her husband to a personal care facility. This is the foundation for all drama in the film.

The devoted Grant continually visits his wife only to find her changed each time. At first she flippantly dismisses him like a casual acquaintance, then her character changes and she goes through some personal struggles. Her tireless husband keeps trying to reach out to her and understand what she's going through.

Julie Christie's transformation throughout the film is so subtle, yet it makes an impact. Slight changes in her speech, or appearance, or the lack of focus in her eyes tell us fully how this character has descended into the painful and confusing world of memory loss. It is easy to see why Christie was nominated Best Actress for this role at the 2007 Academy Awards.

Up and coming director Sarah Polley, who adapted the story for the screen, carefully wove scenes between the recent past and present to continually give the audience new tidbits of information along Fiona's progression. She also used grainy, old Super-8mm looking sequences to show young Fiona, her young husband Grant and brief snippets of scenes from their life and his career as a professor.

The film also contains beautiful scenery of the snow-covered Canadian landscape. It's open barreness seems fitting for a story about the stark reality of Alzheimer's.

STORY: 8.5
LOOK: 8.5
ACTING: 10