Monday, June 4, 2007

Forget me not

This weekend, FINALLY, I got up my ass and saw Away from her. I am still a little depressed due to the lingering effects of the too-close-to-life, grave scenario.

It is about a couple who has been married for 44 years. And they are learning to cope with her Alzheimer as well as their past. As Fiona's condition deteriorates, she decides to check into a nursing home where she starts losing recollection of her husband and starts befriending Aubrey, another patient and showers him with her affection. Her husband, Grant, does not know how much of their relationship Fiona has really forgotten in comparison what she is leading Grant to believe. Does she really forget Grant or does she choose to free herself of the pain of his promiscuous past? Is she punishing him by not recognizing or is she trying to give herself peace?

It reminded me of another Canadian movie: Barbarian Invasions. Not simply because of the theme of how taxing it is to deal with a loved one's sickness or scenery but more because of cinematography and style of narration. It is chillingly sarcastic and caustic at times and deafeningly quite and scenic at others.

Overall, on my very scientific scale of 1-10, I would give this movie an 8.9. I feel like the sterile film shots were not always intended. Even if they were, some beautiful nature and portrait shots with more color would have made the movie richer.

oh oh... I really need to mention this. The killer line of the movie is "I just couldn't be away from her." Watch out for a few tear drops when Grant says this for the second time. I was like a Pavlov dog... Bawling... Gently...

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I certainly enjoyed the movie as well (although maybe it was just the excellent company). However, I think the washed out colors and the sad, serious subject matter kept me from enjoying it too much.

Don't get me wrong - a movie does not have to be full of shiny, happy people and storybook endings for me to enjoy it. (I think Legally Blond is at the other extreme end of the movie spectrum.)

Although I was limited in how much I could enjoy the movie, I would certainly still recommend it. Life doesn't always have the perfect ending, and it would be dishonest for every movie to have one.

zoltero said...

This movie was apparently Sarah Polley's directorial debut. Which is interesting that it was a film about old people, bc I don' tthink she's much older than us, which must have created some unique directorial challenges. |Anyway, she is one of my big new crushes!
Run don't walk to see her in "the secret life of words", which i wont try to describe. check her out!