Still Alice

Human tragedy comes in all forms whether it be death, financial ruin or a fatal illness, to list a few. We've all seen films about those who contract a deadly disease: AIDS, cancer (in a wide variety), Lou Gehrig's Disease, again, to list a few. Many people have known or know those who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease at some time in our lives, however after seeing "Still Alice", it opens up the door of striving to understand this disease even more.

Alice Howland (Julianne Moore), happily married with three grown children. is a renowned linguistics professor at Columbia University who starts to forget words and simple tasks. When she consults with a neurologist, Dr. Benjamin (Stephen Kunken) and necessary tests are performed, she with her husband John (Alec Baldwin) receive the devastating diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease. Even though she is only 50 years-old (most people diagnosed with this disease are typically older), she is diagnosed with a rarer form of it called Familial Alzheimer's Disease: a totally genetic form. Together, they confront their grown children, Lydia (Kristen Stewart), Anna (Kate Bosworth) and Tom (Hunter Parrish) who are devastated themselves. Through all this, family bonds are thoroughly tested as everyone strives to walk a tightrope between normality and taking care of Alice. Alice's struggle to stay connected to who she once was is frightening, heartbreaking and inspiring.

Others to round out the cast are Shane McRae as Anna's husband Charlie, Seth Gilliam as Frederic Johnson, Daniel Gerroll as Eric Wellman, Alice's boss at Columbia, Rosa Arredondo as Convention Facilitator, and Caridad Montanez as Elena, a caregiver.

This was subtly and passionately directed by Richard Glatzer ("Grief" '93, "The Fluffer" '01, "Quinceanera" '06, "The Last of Robin Hood" '13) and Wash Westmoreland ("The Fluffer" '01, "Gay Republicans" (TV movie documentary) '04, "Quinceanera" '06, "The Last of Robin Hood" '13). Granted, Moore is a consummate actor, and this is surely the best she's done in a while, but much credit of this slow decline of this articulate, detailed individual certainly has to be credited to these two directors. This was extremely well written also by Glatzer and Westmoreland based on the novel by Lisa Genova. The script simply flowed like water with amazing continuity and cohesiveness. As I mentioned before, this is a very stirring and phenomenal performance by Moore herself. One could see her slowly deteriorating before your very eyes. It's no wonder she was nominated for a best actress Oscar--she could possibly nab it come that time. You could feel her frustration, fear and pain by witnessing her as the film proceeded.

Even though the ending of this is bittersweet and poignant, this is not a warm and fluffy feeling film, however a movie that so many people should see, if for no other reason than to see what happens to a person going through this as well as for what families and friends go through.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                               Rated: PG-13                              101mins.