Still Alice

Still Alice is a realistic and emotional story of a woman living with Alzheimer's disease. Julianne Moore successfully shows the struggle, confusion, anger, pain and isolation of having such a disease through her incredible performance. She allows the audience to see what having Alzheimer's could possibly be like. This film also has an amazing screenplay, a screenplay that is raw and honest. There is also a great ensemble performance from the cast, featuring Alec Baldwin as the supportive and loving husband. The movie definitely makes the viewer think deeply about aspects of life such as memories, family, loss and bewilderment which are all addressed in Still Alice. See this film for a moving story, but mostly for Moore's miraculous performance. It wouldn't be a surprise if she won Best Actress in the upcoming Academy Awards.

I had already marked this movie down as a "no" when the cinema preview club we attend showed it this morning. And I'm very glad they did.

Few movies about Alzheimer's show things almost entirely from the perspective of the victim, and even fewer try to grapple with her internal thoughts and feelings as the disease progresses. Still Alice does just that.

Taking an exceptionally verbal and smart person and giving her early onset Alzheimer's and watching how she deals with it and how she feels about it made this an exceptional film. So does the always-excellent Julianne Moore, who outdoes herself in an Oscar-worthy performance.

The movie's full of highlights: the Skypeing between mom and daughter Kristin Stewart, the relatively healthy Julianne leaving a video for her much sicker self to discover; the question only one person asks: "How does it make you feel?" And extra credit for the double use of Lyle Lovett's "If I Had a Boat."

It probably goes without saying, but in my opinion "Still Alice" is right up there among this year's best pictures.

And what ultimately makes author Lisa Genova's debut bestselling novel so personal, yet so universal and identifiable in it's messages, are the performances. Alec Baldwin and Kristen Stewart are a part of a strong supporting cast, that will leave a lasting impression in your mind and it will be more than deserved. Both of their characters were so real - warm, supportive and earthly. And while both Baldwin and Stewart have taken the occasional misstep in their respective pasts, both of them once again showed without a doubt their acting abilities and scope, a word linguistics professor Dr. Alice Howland used, albeit with great difficulties, to describe her daughter Lydia (played by Stewart) in one point of the film.

And what a performance by Julianne Moore that was! She essentially made an already rich character in Alice, a frankly too young Alzheimer's disease patient, who also happens to be a renown linguistics professor, even more dimensional and rich. Moore's Alice is a strong, intelligent woman when we first meet her at her birthday at the beginning of the film. At that moment, Moore is confident and full of purpose. As she gets diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease, that her children might have inherited from her, and time goes by, Alice becomes a shadow of herself, whose mental health deteriorates at an alarmingly fast rate. And that is the part that Moore portrayed with such skill and graceful pain, that the viewer can't help but get irreversibly emotionally involved with her character. We feel for her, we cry with her, we wish she would get better, although it is clear that is sadly not going to happen. And Moore's Alice knows it as well. And that makes the journey through her story even more challenging, difficult and painful for the viewer. Or as Beverly Beckham of The Boston Globe put it "This is Alice Howland's story, for as long as she can tell it".

The film was directed and adapted by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, who share both the writing and directing duties on almost all of their projects to date. The two somehow complete each other and find the balance, that is needed to tell such a delicate story in a manner, which can do it proper justice.

I will probably be the only one saying this, but I thought the score was tremendous as well. Kudos goes to composer Ilan Eshkeri, who did an amazing job on the film. The music is often intense and minimalistic, it feels like it is just an addition to the already rich environment the characters find themselves in and I would love to see at least a nomination at the Oscars for Eshkeri, although I highly doubt it.

So, to wrap it up in a nutshell: Still Alice is a wonderful film, an intimate and fascinating study in the field of family drama, and one of the year's best. I definitely hope to see some awards buzz mainly around the cast - both Alec Baldwin and Kristen Stewart deserve it for their delicate and supportive portrayal of husband John and youngest daughter Lydia, respectively, who never gave up on Moore's Alice. And Julianne Moore - well, what can I say - her brutally sad and honest portrayal of Alice deserves to go down in the books of top-notch acting and she will reap the fruits of her work a long time from now (well, mostly, at the end of February, I hope).

So it is a nine out of ten stars from me, only because I felt there could have been more screen time for the other children in the Howland family, and therefore the film could have been at least 10-15 minutes longer.

But solely on Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin and Kristen Stewart's impeccable acting, I say this film is among the very best in the subject and also among the best titles this year.

My grade: 9/10

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It's hard to put into words why "Still Alice" from writer/directors Richard Glatzer and Wash Westermoreland is as effective as it is. A cinematic experience that will pull you through the ringer, similar to other tearjerking efforts like "Terms of Endearment" or "Stepmom," the film is a heartbreaking measurement of storytelling that is one of the surprising gems of the year. Helmed by a magnificent performance by Julianne Moore, "Still Alice" dodges most of the cliché tropes of disease-ridden dramas with spunk and warmth. It's not just about the struggle of Alice (Moore), it's also an in- depth and informative medical drama that not only breaks your heart, but provide valuable information and sensitivity to anyone who may know or will know someone in the future.

The film tells the story of Alice, a brilliant professor that is diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer's disease at the age of 50. Terrified of the future, and the fear of forgetting the life she's created, "Still Alice" reflects not only on the ramifications of knowing such knowledge of your eventual demise, but how it affects those who know and love you. If your loved one was stricken with such an illness, would you, rather could you stand by their side no matter what? It's easy to answer with the socially acceptable response until you're faced with such a question.

"Alice" inhabits a simplicity that almost feels too uncomplicated and transparent to warrant a positive take but alas, here we are. Glatzer and Westermoreland create a sensitive, well-intentioned examination of a woman struggling with early on-set Alzheimer's disease. May sound like shameless, factory-standard Oscar bait, but its unlike any movie you'll see this year, dealing with delicate subject matter in a tender way. They cover different angles of the topic at hand without getting too preachy. Of course, this is mostly due to the brilliance of four-time Academy Award nominee Moore, but she's not the only one on her A-game. Co-star Alec Baldwin, who plays Alice's husband John, showcases one of his most layered portrayals yet. Internalized, disturbed, but very compelling in the way he chooses to execute his feelings. Baldwin's mannerisms and antics have not been put to better use in quite sometime.

Kristen Stewart continues to revitalize her image as an actress. "Clouds and Sils Maria" and "Camp X-Ray" are terrific examples of her talents put to great use but what she achieves as Lydia, Alice's youngest daughter is nothing short of spectacular. Glatzer and Westermoreland understand her abilities and limitations but heighten them to stunning results. If Stewart continues on this path, she could easily become one of our greatest working actresses. She's certainly one of the most exciting at the moment. Stewart is a gift.

After struggling to find her voice in the movies, Kate Bosworth hits on all cylinders as Anna. As does Hunter Parrish, fondly remembered from "It's Complicated." He's aching for his big, breakout role.

I guess it's time to worship the aura of Julianne Moore. It's easy to dismiss my take on her work since I'm unapologetically a Moore enthusiast (loud and proud). Three of her Oscar nominations for "Boogie Nights," "Far from Heaven," and "The Hours" are all worthy citations, arguably winning performances that Oscar passed over. I've been able to separate her overall brilliance from some of the choices she's made in roles over the years. "The English Teacher" is an attempt to be change it up, "The Forgotten" is a horror/mystery that lacks either of those words, and "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio" is well…that movie from 2005. Julianne Moore is a revelation of epic proportions. Bold, provocative, and emotionally gripping, she delivers one of her strongest performances to date. She's takes a daring stand to be vulnerable, and hits an amazing high. A destined winner of Best Actress.

The film can feel like a factory-standard creation passed over by the TV networks at times, mostly due to the style in which its shot. Cinematographer Denis Lenior keeps things straightforward but isn't adventurous enough to stand out in the crowd. Film Editor Nicolas Chaudeurge should also take a few cues from the playbook of Pietro Scalia, Stephen Mirrione, and Richard Marks, editors that know how to milk a scene for everything its worth. There are moments that will surely create a weep-a-thon in your seat, but there are missed opportunities to really push the audience over the edge. Composer Ilan Eshkeri however, takes his cues from famed musicians like John Williams and Howard Shore to swell the tearducts to maximum capacity.

Overall, "Still Alice" is a very rewarding experience, wrapped in a blanket of emotions held by Julianne Moore and Co.. It's one of those rare films that makes you think and gives you a debate to have with your loved ones. A deep, human movie that doesn't shy away from baring its soul and the vast complexities that come with it. Just plain great.

This movie was a great boost to my psyche as someone who has watched my own mother lose her ability to be the fascinating and clever woman she once was. The performances of Alec Baldwin and Ms. Stewart really impressed me. Julianne Moore is always good.

If you have lived with the loneliness and the torture of watching someone you love lose his or her mind this movie may just give you the strength to go on.

Julianne Moore's performance is particularly compassionate. This movie depicts an excruciating illness, but also illuminates the heroes who emerge and the grace which is possible despite loss.