Still Alice
Still Alice is a film about a woman called Alice played by Julianne Moore who suffers from early onset alzheimer’s disease.
Every scene with these two is absolutely superb.
One of the things film fans like to do is point out bad performances. Whether it’s overacting, underacting or some strange mix that does not make much sense as to be green-lit, there is a lot of fun to be had in making fun of richer people doing a job we would kill to do.
The unfortunate thing about this attitude is that any movies the actors appear in later will not be appealing, even if they are good.
And one thing we fail to remember is that film is an extremely collaborative medium. Jake Lloyd could very well have given a superb performance in Star Wars: Episode I, but whether it was on set or in the editing room, George Lucas (who by the way gets way too much flack these days) decided to go with a take that made every line come from the young actor appear unnatural.
My point with all of this? Julianne Moore’s performances in The Lost World and Hannibal were critically derided. And don’t get me started on the negative reaction to Kristen Stewart’s performance in The Twilight Saga.
The fact is, actors can be victims of bad writing, bad direction or bad editing choices. There is no point hating these two actresses. Because you never know when a film like Still Alice will come along and give you the most wonderful portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship in cinemas in years, with these actors in the roles of mother and daughter.
This is a great movie.
The writing makes you feel like the family in the film is a real family trying to deal with a terrible situation of losing the matriarch while she’s still alive and young.
Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, the film’s writers, also directed it superbly. The use of a shallow depth of field in a number of the shots really brings across the feeling of being lost Alice feels here.
Alzheimers is a horrible disease which affects so many around the world and its effects on the person suffering and the family around them are shown in an extremely honest light here by a great cast.
Julianne Moore won an Oscar for her performance here. While this particular feat does not mean anything in my opinion, she definitely deserves the recognition for an extremely powerful piece.
And yes, I cried a little during this film.
Recommended Scenario: If you want to really know what the love of a family is capable of overcoming.
If what I have written tells you that you would like this film, you can book tickets to see it at your local Cineworld here. 
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