Sarah Polley’s first feature film as a director, Away from Her (2007) was an extraordinary work, a startling love story but also a brilliant character study about a couple over sixty dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. Julie Christie gave the performance of her career as Fiona, a proud woman descending into the nightmare of the disease, with Canadian icon Gordon Pinsent as her husband, Grant, a former college professor who adores his wife but was not above a dalliance with a student years before. Retired, they spend their time in their home, journeying out into the winter to cross-country ski, or enjoy the weather and beautiful landscapes. When the impact of the disease begins to wear on Fiona, making her everyday life difficult, she decides to go into a facility where she can receive the proper care, and not be a burden to her husband. Grant is opposed, believing he can care for his wife, but she is adamant, and will not listen to him. What really hurts Grant is the fact that once she is in the place, they cannot have contact for thirty days. Once there she seems to forget him, and connects with another patient, who needs her. The picture is about love, and how much one will do if they truly love another, how far will we go for love? Sacrifice is so much a part of any relationship and what Grant is willing to sacrifice for Fiona was a blinding reminder of what we have within ourselves to do for another person. Read more on Take this Waltz (**)…
Tags: Away from Her, julie christie, Michelle Williams, Sarah Polley, Seth Rogen, Take This Waltz, TIFF
