Review of Hanging Up (2000) by Alexandra T — 24 Sep 2013

Meg Ryan, as always, is quirky, quick witted, and down to earth in an always relatable way. In my own life I have had to play the role of the family backbone by keeping watch over my sisters to make sure they succeed in their ambitions, obtain unconditional love, and never look back with regret.

.. among other things. But my most important role I have been given, could be titled, in a general way as "care taker". My mother was never too interested in anyone besides herself. My father was extremely ill my entire life and over the years I watched him deteriorate before me, slowly and painfully.

Forgetting I was his own flesh and blood. Forgetting his own identity. And scared to death multiple times a day when he came to realization how far gone his brain was from his body. Besides Meg Ryan's perfect portrayal of a woman in this kind of extreme high stress- high emotional position, of what actually happens to a family in this situation.

To the people that have reviewed this and say different haven't experienced the small quirks that destroy your heart moment by moment and the small quirks that keep your love for these people so strong it becomes loyalty no one can understand.

Words are said with a much stronger impact than understandable unless you have walked a mile in our shoes. Love your sick drunk father that loves you more than life but spills slurs that are completely unforgivable.

Or forget him forever because he has become intolerable and cruel in a way that should never be stood for because of his dementia. I love this movie and it's perfect portrayal of this situation. Welcome to the life of just a few people that have to go through this.