I'm sure his relatives are pretending.

Movie:
Rating:


Review: "Unrealistic. The patient would not be eager to move into a facility. No reliable facility would prohibit visits. No visiting spouse the least bit knowledgeable about dementia would read such confusing text to a confused dementia patient. No reliable facility would have the tv tuned in to news of the Iraq war. These and other implausible details and contrivances made it hard to find the movie poignant. I speak from years of experience dealing with dementia in two relatives. It might be a good movie for an ignorant viewer, but it's not believable for somewhat who knows what dementia and dementia facilities are really like."

How it misses the point: Sarah Polley's "Away From Her" is a moving account of how an aging couple copes with Alzheimer's. It's touching because the characters are given time to breathe and develop, so the audience is given a better understanding of what informs their decisions.

Not all dementia facilities are equal. The reviewer may be correct that the policies portrayed in the movie do not regularly occur, but any inaccuracies do not detract from the movie's message. It's still heart-wrenching to watch the helpless husband watch his wife crumble and bond with another man. Who cares if he chooses to read Yeats to her instead of something less complex? Such choices do not make sense for the reviewer and his brain-dead relatives. They do, however, make sense for Grant and Fiona.