AWAY FROM HER

Sarah Polley's hugely anticipated directorial debut is a beautiful and touching love story between an elderly couple, of whom the wife is diagnosed with Alzeimer's. Reminiscent of Nick Cassavettes' The Notebook in 2004 where Noah is trying to reach Allie, so too is Grant (Gordon Pinsent) trying to reach out to Fiona (Julie Christie). The audience continually guesses at first whether Fiona is really diagnosed with Alzeimer's, or whether it's one of her ploys to get back at Grant for a past affair or if somehow she wanted to reunite with an old love at the Old Folks' Home. As the days go by, Fiona forgets Grant, instead pining for Aubrey who has been removed from the home by his wife. Her sadness cripples her further as the nurses decide she needs to be moved upstairs (where the more serious patients are). Grant's heart aches and knows perhaps only one thing, or one person, will be able to stabilize Fiona, and he must make a decision that could be his biggest sacrifice of all, his happiness for hers.