DVD Review

Title: Away From Her

Production Company: Capri/Telefilm Canada

Writers: Based on Short Story By Alice Munro,

Script by Sarah Polley
Producers: Atom Egoyan, Doug Mankoff, Daniel Iron, Simone Urdi, Jennifer Weiss

Directed By: Sarah Polley

Principal Actors: Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis, Wendy Crewson

Website: http://www.caprifilms.com/awayfromher

Run Time: 110 Minutes

4 Stars

Reviewed By: Kindah Mardam Bey

If you were not raised in Canada and indoctrinated into the enmasse communal adoration of Sarah Polley from an early age (her early age that is), then allow me to give you a little background knowledge to draw an understanding on why the ‘little film’ Away From Her, is garnering prestige and attention. Polley played the lead in L.M. Montgomery’s novel turned hourly TV Family Drama Road To Avonlea during the 1990s. L.M. Montgomery wrote the Anne Of Green Gables series and infused Sara Stanley of the Avonlea series with much of the same adorable characteristics as her predecessor Anne Shirley. So naturally endearing by association, Polley became the equivalent to Canada that England has of ‘English rose’ Kate Winslet.

So when Polley took on daring and complex roles in films like The Sweet Hereafter, Guinevere, Go and My Life Without Me that had people see past the little girl of Avonlea with her big hair bows, and look to the strong and enigmatic actress Polley had become. Polley, known more for the roles she’s refused in the past because of her integrity towards making socially conscious films (Almost Famous) decides to direct her first feature-length film, many within the industry, and voting public alike, both Canadian and otherwise, pay attention to what Polley has brought to the table.

Turns out, she brought a whole lot.

Away From Her is a story of love in the face of tragedy and moving forward into imminent demise. The ever luminous Julie Christie plays Fiona Anderson, married to Grant Anderson (Gordon Pinsent) and living the rest of their retired days in a cabin set adrift from the world, but deeply contented in their love for one another they are not alone. Slowly Fiona starts to show signs of slipping into the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease. It is Fiona’s decision in her more composed times to admit herself into a home/hospital specializing in the disease of mental deterioration. Grant dislikes the idea, especially after taking a tour of the facility by uber-efficient facility operator Madeleine Montpelleir and learning that Fiona must stay the first 30 days without any visitation from Grant. Madeleine is frank and although not unkind, she is dismissive of the emotional turmoil surrounding such a life altering situation.

Fiona is resolved in her decision and is admitted into the facility; thirty days later Grant returns and discovers Fiona has formed an ‘attachment’ with one of the other patients and has forgot all about Grant. Olympia Dukakis plays the other man’s wife who is also as damaged by this event as Grant. In this heartbreaking tale, Grant must come to terms with his wife’s disease and must selflessly allow her the changes that take place he knows he can never ‘fix.’

At 27 years old Sarah Polley wrote this script based on the short story by Canadian author Alice Monroe, and then fully fleshed it out by directing it to screen. At such a young age, Polley has somehow managed to make Away From Her as full of depth, romance, tragedy and hope that all the ebbs and flows of life entails. Polley has proved herself a storyteller of old, both through the written word and through the visual medium of film as well.Sentences like ‘People expect to be in love all the time when they are married; what a liability that is’ are classic Polley thoughts brought to the screen. From the Atom Egoyan (Sweet Hereafter) school of directing, Polley has made a gently managed and paced film that keeps the viewer at arms length while also arresting your heart into every moment of the story. This maybe a love story, but it is untidy and painfully honest.

Away From Her is a delicate and poignant tale, colourized by dynamic performances from Julie Christie (who is like a fine wine, and seems to get better with age; Hamlet, Doctor Zhivago), the jewel of the north Gordon Pinsent (The Shipping News), Wendy Crewson (Santa Clause, What Lies Beneath), and Olympia Dukakis (isn’t she splendid in everything she does? Steel Magnolias, Moonstruck). However, it is Polley’s strong grasp of life’s evolution and keen observations into human nature that has made Away From Her a film that might have been great in someone else’s hands but hopefully melancholy in Polley’s hands.

We await with bated breath Sarah Polley’s next career move, but in the mean time, Away From Her is a beautiful calling card for where this centered creative soul is in her life.