Away From Her | Rotten Tomatoes

Away From Her

PG-13

Released May 4, 2007

1 hr. 49 min.

Drama

List

94%

144 Reviews

Tomatometer

81%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Long married, Fiona (Julie Christie) and Grant (Gordon Pinsent) find their mutual devotion tested by her struggle with Alzheimer's disease. When it becomes apparent that the condition is worsening, she checks into a rest home. Grant visits her a month later and finds that his wife has grown close to Aubrey (Michael Murphy), a fellow resident. Jealous and hurt, Grant finally seeks help from Aubrey's wife (Olympia Dukakis) when Fiona suffers a crisis.

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Critics Consensus

An accomplished directorial debut by Sarah Polley, Away From Her is a touching exploration of the effects of Alzheimer's, in which the tender wisdom of Polley's script is beautifully complemented by a wonderful performance from Julie Christie.

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Thomas M

The best filmmaking debut ever from Sarah Polley! With the best acting performance from Julie Christie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/26/22

Full Review

Audience Member

A marriage encapsulated by the dreaded Alzheimer's "Sometimes there's something delicious in oblivion" (05:55) "Away from Her"- a heartwarming yet heartbreaking film directed by former Canadian actress Sarah Polley, takes place in Ontario, Canada, and is a first for the award-winning actress. Marking as Polley's first directorial debut since leaving the big screen, "Away from Her" is a beautifully told love story based on Alice Munro's poem "The bear came over the mountain." The film tells the story of a husband's devotion to his wife and the need to accept what he cannot fathom amidst the progression of his wife's Alzheimer's. Grief and compassion coincide in this beautifully adapted film suggesting that love is everlasting, and accepting one's fate will lead to happiness. The plot focuses on the unfortunate progression of Fiona's Alzheimer's as well as Grant's sacrifice to ensure Fiona is comfortable. While washing the dishes, Fiona becomes forgetful, visually struggling to remember where the frying pan belongs and then placing it in the freezer. Polly uses a shallow focus in this scene to capture the importance of Fiona's confusion and showcase the progression of her Alzheimer's. Although Grant( Gordon Pinsent, who plays a remarkable and patient husband) understands that Fiona is beginning to slip away, he states how she is "far too young"(14:28) as he is terrified to accept the shocking reality of his dear wife's future. Fiona's decline in memory is apparent again at a dinner party where she forgets how to pronounce wine and states "I think I'm beginning to disappear." (10:24-10:27) Polley's use of Heaven 2 the slow push-in shot compliments Fiona's acceptance of her decline in health. Fiona is accepting of her fate and decides it is best for her to move to a care facility called Meadowlake. The care home is set in high key lighting suggesting the unearthly and apparent "dream" aspect of Grant's reality. The residents are expected to have a 30-day integration period to settle down. It was during this time that Fiona met Aubrey (the silent resident played by Michael Murphy), initiating Grants transformation from husband to a mere acquaintance. The unfamiliar presence of Grant startles Fiona as she cannot seem to remember who he is, or his role in her life. Though Fiona's memory is fading, her long-term memory is intact as she hints at Grant's past instances of infidelity with students from his university, suggesting their rocky marriage. Grant grows increasingly impatient and questions her about her relationship with Aubrey as he is devastated by the lack of affection and response from his wife. She clearly states how "He doesn't confuse me at all."(59:39) Wondering whether or not Fiona is punishing him for his past infidelity, he embarks on a journey of selflessness (complemented by Polly's use of cinematic techniques) to prove his unwavering love for her. Polley has an impeccable knack for directing as well as choosing purposeful cinematic techniques to secrete emotion from her viewers. While Grant watches families share their Christmas dinners with family, Polly uses a dissolve shot paired with natural lighting to showcase the isolation and gloom that occurs with the progression of Alzheimer's. (27:22-28:00) Marion (a practical yet closed-off wife to Aubrey) shares a couch with Grant, mirroring his dark clothing and posture suggesting their mutual depressive states and the beginning of a heartfelt friendship. The use of melancholic soundtracks adds to Grant's depressing realization that he will soon be a distant memory to his wife whom he has been married to for 44 years. Heaven 3 All in all, if you would like to further educate yourself on the effects of Alzheimer's as well as support the Canadian film industry, then I highly recommend viewing this eye-opening movie. Sarah Polly has taken a progressive and violent disease and captured the beauty and importance of accepting what we cannot control, and the encouragement to live while we still have time.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

dave s

Featuring great performances from Gordon Pinsent and Julie Christie, Away from Her tells the story of an aging married couple and the horrors that Alzheimer's disease inflicts on their relationship. In her directorial debut, Sarah Polley shows maturity beyond her years in handling a difficult subject with a tremendous amount of sensitivity and restraint. Instead of concentrating on excessive dialogue, she allows the camera to linger on faces, usually in close-up and in long takes, in order to show the characters' pain through their expressions and knowing glances. Powerful and memorable, Away from Her teaches us about the unpredictability of where like is taking us and how we answer the call when things take an unexpected turn.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Don’t know what to add that the reviews don’t already say. Sad, sometimes squirmishly so, but solid.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/09/21

Full Review

Audience Member

A wonderful story of true love from a husband and a wife.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/07/20

Full Review

steve d

We have seen this sort of thing a lot but the direction and acting make this one of the best of its kind.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Sarah Polley

Director

Julie Christie

Fiona

Gordon Pinsent

Grant

Olympia Dukakis

Marian

Michael Murphy

Aubrey

Kristen Thomson

Kristy

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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: B

Feb 14, 2012

Full Review

Cliff Doerksen

Time Out

Rated: 5/5

Nov 18, 2011

Full Review

Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out

Rated: 5/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Christie and Pinsent offer two of the most substantial, affecting performances of 2007.

Rated: 3.5/4

Nov 7, 2022

Full Review

Micheal Compton

Bowling Green Daily News

Polley's direction is simple, yet assured, with a vision that allows the actors to shine. The cast is more than up to the task.

Rated: A

Nov 21, 2019

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

Polley displays a keen understanding of the sense of confusion and loss that goes along with Alzheimer's, and she handles it well, guiding the film with a warmth, humor, and heart.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 6, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

Long married, Fiona (Julie Christie) and Grant (Gordon Pinsent) find their mutual devotion tested by her struggle with Alzheimer's disease. When it becomes apparent that the condition is worsening, she checks into a rest home. Grant visits her a month later and finds that his wife has grown close to Aubrey (Michael Murphy), a fellow resident. Jealous and hurt, Grant finally seeks help from Aubrey's wife (Olympia Dukakis) when Fiona suffers a crisis.

Director: Sarah Polley
Executive Producer: Atom Egoyan, Doug Mankoff
Screenwriter: Sarah Polley
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Film Farm Productions, Foundry Films
Rating: PG-13 (Some Strong Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 4, 2007, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 6, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.5M
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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