Away From Her
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
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.
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.
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.
I can't remember the last time the movies yielded up a love story so painful, so tender and so true.
Poignant, wise and unafraid -- just the sort of film for a young person, or any person, for that matter, to make.
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)
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