Away From Her

I hadn’t wanted to see this film but sometimes you have to give in. And I did want to see Julie Christie. I still carry the image of her with Dirk Bogarde in the 1965 movie Darling. She is no less beautiful in Away From Her. Julie Christie’s character Fiona is struck down with Alzheimer’s disease.

This movie shows the sadness for Grant ( Gordon Pinsent) her husband of 45 years as he watches her decline. There is the pain of watching him adapt to the changes and the hurts it inflicts upon him.

There are many ways Alzheimer’s can develop and these are quickly outlined near the beginning of the film. Fiona was struck in the kindest way and I believe that many people who have watched their loved ones with the disease will feel a sense unreality.

I find Alzheimer’s is a disease that is as frightening as cancer. Of course cancer is more universal, striking all ages. Dementia will strike more and more of us as we find more ways of living longer and longer. It is one of the saddest diseases.

Those who saw the film Iris where Iris Murdoch reverted to a child may see a more common manifestation of Alzheimer’s.

Away From Her moves slowly through the snows of Ontario. There is coldness in the scenery and this reflects the way Fiona’s and Grant’s warm and loving relationship is heading.

It is a slow meandering movie sometimes going into the past and forever moving through scenes of snow but your attention is held.

On reflection the film isn’t so much about Alzheimer’s as it is about a relationships and how one person can be left to struggle with the changes on their own.

The film was adapted from a story by Canadian writer Alice Munro called ‘The Bear Came Over the Mountain’. I like that title much better. ‘Away From Her’ is some how clumsy.

There is publicity suggesting that Sarah Polley, the director, should be up for an Oscar. My money would be on Julie Christie.

I’d be interested in your view.