Review of Still Alice (2014) by Manon M — 18 Mar 2015

For all the movie's honesty, the reality of Alzheimer's disease is a lot worse than what you see in Still Alice. Nevertheless, it hides no pain about dealing with Alzheimer's disease, one of the most devastating and tragic diseases known to man. What makes it a must-see tho is Julianne Moore's heart-wrenching performance - probably the best in her career. Her performance has as twice as much impact as any performance I have seen in a long time. We instantly care for her, feel with her, go through hell with her - we're with her, every step of the way. And what an emotional journey this is. Julianne Moore gives this movie an extra layer of gravity, depth and emotion, something I always value in movies. Her Oscar is so well deserved...honestly. Next to Julianne Moore, Still Alice has another little surprise... Kirsten Stewart's gentle performance as Alice's daughter who - in the end - understands her mother the most.

As the movie progressed it became more and more engrossing even if it didn't reach its full potential on a hard to talk about topic. Still Alice is undoubtedly a tough movie and I suggest you prepare yourself mentally. It contains life-affirming moments but its perspective is what makes it unique. And that ending... it broke me, in a way.