A Film You Won't Soon Forget

Unless, of course, you're the main character in this movie.

Okay, okay, that was a cheap joke.   And, frankly, I don't want to be one making fun of this dreaded Azlheimer's disease.   So I need to disclose right from the get-go that I'm reviewing the movie not the condition.

The obvious stuff first.   Julianne Moore won this year's Best Actress Oscar for her role as a renowned college professor diagnosed with the disease at the relatively early age of 50.   The award was merited.   Miss Moore took some risks with this performance and all the pain and confusion is perfectly displayed up there on the silver screen.

It's a shame she had to come down with it in this movie.   Written by these writers.   And directed by these directors.  The culprits are Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland and they're the main reason why "Still Alice" is a mediocre movie, despite the acting talents of its star.  I feel a little bad writing that because Mr. Glatzer just died of ALS.  I'm sure he and his life mate, Mr. Westmoreland, were/are very nice people.  But, here, I am reviewing their work on this movie, not their lives.

And their work on this film is nothing short of a Lifetime movie that you saw on a rainy Sunday afternoon two months ago.  You know the kind I mean?  Justine Bateman as the heroine with John Stamos as the long suffering husband.   In the case of "Still Alice," they've been given Tiffany jewelry but have opted to wear the cubic zirconium wrist band they saw Susan Lucci advertise last night on QVC.

You know the plot already and you know that Moore's character will get worse over time.   The family will wring their hands and fumble through their attempts to make the situation better.  It's been done many times over in many other films.   Miss Moore's performance elevates it to another level.   But, at the same time, the writing and directing, which is incredibly amateurish and uninspired, sinks it all.   

I mean, just think about this sappy and hackneyed device.   Every time Moore's character has an episode of confusion, everything in the background becomes cloudy.  Duh?  You can't convey the scene any better than that.   After ninety minutes of this nonsense, not only do you sympathize for Julianne Moore, you also can identify with anybody who's suffering with a cataract.

"Still Alice" was Julianne Moore's crowning glory.   Gee, let's see what she can do when she gets some really good people to work with.

LEN'S RATING:  Two stars.

Dinner last night:  Had to fast all day so I ate my lunch sandwich at night.