Away From Her

2006 Drama

Filmmaker Atom Egoyan -- a longtime onscreen collaborator with the gifted young actress Sarah Polley (The Sweet Hereafter) -- executive-produced Polley's directorial debut, Away from Her, starring Julie Christie, Olympia Dukakis, Michael Murphy, and Wendy Crewson. Adapted by Polley from a short story by Alice Munro, this small-scaled two-character drama concerns Grant (Gordon Pinsent) and Fiona (Christie), a long-married couple, well into their golden years, who are much in love and connected to one another on every level. "Soul mates" in the purest sense of the term, the two feel a sense of ease and tranquility in their rural home. But when Fiona's memory begins to slip away and she insists on being taken to a rest home, the decision stirs up torrents of guilt and regret in Grant's heart. The rules of the center only complicate matters, as they forbid visitation and communication with Fiona for an interminable period of time. He determines to support his wife at all costs, even if must happen at the expense of his own peace of mind. more..

Director: Sarah Polley

Starring: Julie Christie,Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis, Michael Murphy, Wendy Crewson

Reviews

  • Anyone who could read Munro's original story and think they could make a film of it, and then make a great film, deserves a certain awe.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    29 November 2012

  • To say it is about a debilitating disease is as reductive as saying "Little Miss Sunshine" is about a beauty pageant. Both are intimate stories of family ties that bind but sometimes also choke.

    Ruthe Stein - The San Francisco Chronicle

    29 November 2012

  • 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.

    Ann Hornaday - The Washington Post

    29 November 2012

  • I can't remember the last time the movies yielded up a love story so painful, so tender and so true.

    A.O. Scott - The New York Times

    29 November 2012

  • Poignant, wise and unafraid -- just the sort of film for a young person, or any person, for that matter, to make.

    Carina Chocano - Los Angeles Times

    29 November 2012

Awards

  • Outstanding Performance - Male

    ACTRA Awards (II) (2007)

  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

    Academy Awards (2008)

     
  • Best Leading Actress

    BAFTA Awards (2008)

     
  • Best Actress

    Boston Society of Film Critics Awards (2007)

  • Best Actress

    Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2008)