Review of Away from Her (2007) by James K — 16 Oct 2008

One of the most amazing, heartbreaking, and yet oddly uplifting films I've ever seen. Performances by all are pitch-perfect, and Polley's writing and direction is first rate. The dual plotline the film creates was a wonderful choice, allowing for a crushing sense of inevitability at first, which then dissolves into an ever-so-slight message of hope.

As the film says, and as I've re-discovered recently, you can't beat life... BUT, you can get around it in any number of ways. That is but one of the complicated messages the film deals with. A wonderful aspect of the movie is that one cannot easily boil a single theme down to its bare essentials; the film FEELS like life, in all its complication, heartbreak, education, and loss.

In never being simple, it reminds us of the amazing complexities of the human heart and mind, and serves as a wonderful antidote to movies in which ailments are cured by a single flashback. Polley, despite being uneven as an actress, proves to be an amazing writer and director.

She knows what it means to be human, and puts that knowledge on display for all to experience. And finally, I should warn that the movie is incredibly sad, and incredibly accurate; like many, I saw a loved one slowly fade away -- in my case, to dementia -- and the movie is one of the only times I've EVER seen that crushing experience and all the complications that develop as a result of it portrayed honestly on screen.

A section in the middle of the film in which Grant is now living alone in his and Fiona's country house had me in tears, so powerful is that section's execution. If you need a dash of catharsis any time soon, give this tremendous film a look; it's truly an incredible experience.