Plot Summary
Married for 50 years, Grant (Gordon Pinsent) and Fiona’s (Julie Christie) commitment to each other appears unwavering, and their everyday life is full of tenderness and humour. This serenity is broken only by the occasional, carefully restrained reference to the past, giving a sense that this marriage may not always have been such a fairy tale. This tendency of Fiona’s to make such references, along with her increasingly evident memory loss, creates a tension that is usually brushed off casually by both of them. As the lapses become more obvious and dramatic, it is no longer possible for either of them to ignore the fact that Fiona is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Credits
Actors
- Julie Christie
- Gordon Pinsent
- Olympia Dukakis
- Kristen Thomson
Director
Screenwriter
Producers
Movie Reviews from Rotten Tomatoes
TOMATOMETER
94%- Reviews Counted: 143
- Fresh: 135
- Rotten: 8
- Average Rating: 8.1/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Fresh: [A] superbly tacit chamber piece.
Fresh: Bergmanesque and beautiful, set in a wintry landscape fitfully lit by one woman's flickering awareness and one man's long-term, stubborn love, Away from Her is one of the most remarkable and moving love stories the movies have recently given us.
Fresh: Away From Her got to me in a way no other movie has this year, eliciting copious tears.
Fresh: Rarely has love at any age been depicted so honestly on screen. For such a fully realized portrait to be created by a 28-year-old first-time director is even more remarkable.
Customer Reviews
Sensational!
This film really makes a point: if you have a great script and talented actors, you've got all you really need for an unforgetable film experience that truly touches the audience. No amount of special effects, chases, stunts or gunfire will ever be able to affect an audience on such an emotional level. The basic human emotions that are common to all of us and felt on a daily basis are what we all share. This movie is rare, delicate, deep, powerful, moving and celebrates the true beauty of love and loss. Very highly recommended!
Love Knows No Bounds
Realistic portrayal of Alzheimer's and the grieving process of a loving husband. The actors do an amazing job. I was disappointed in the portrayal of the nurse (the role, not the acting) - no professional would show disrespect like that. Her overly familiar manner puts her own emotional agenda ahead of her role as a trusted care provider. Also, Fiona seems to readily agree to go to the care facility and people usually don't want to leave their homes even when their situation becomes very bad. The movie raises emotional and thought-provoking questions about end-of-life issues, love, sacrifice, survival, and forgiveness. Ask yourself this - why does he do what he does in the end? Could you do the same?
Love can always survive.
As a Canadian, what I can appreciate most about my country's contribution to the cinema is our ability to make down-to-basics films that never lack originality. Away From Her more than qualifies. This is a simple and familiar story, about true love threatened by the cruelty of fate, which had such amazing headway. It dominated the Genies and had two Oscar nominations. If Sarah Polley can continue directing films with such integrity and faithfulness, I'd like to see any film she makes. Especially if she's brave enough to take on such serious issues like Alzheimer's. Away From Her is a timeless winner.
Viewers Also Bought
- The Savages
- Tamara Jenkins
- View In iTunes
- Evelyn
- Bruce Beresford
- View In iTunes
- Sweet Land
- Ali Selim
- View In iTunes
- The Remains of the Day
- James Ivory
- View In iTunes
- Saving Sarah Cain
- Michael Landon Jr.
- View In iTunes
