Actors: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart
Director:Richard Glatzer
Adapted from: Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Run Time: 101 minutes
Release Date: January 23, 2015
A linguistics professor and her family find their bonds tested when she is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.
I must admit I have a tendency to make fun of Jullianne Moore. I had been watching TCM and she did a bio on Myrna Loy. She pointed out many times that Loy paused during her lines thus making it seem realer. If that were not enough she would “rewind” scenes to show this brilliance. This is not meant as a dis at Myrna Loy . I love The Thin Man series, but the awe Moore showed bordered on ridiculousness. Maybe you had to be there, I’ve had a hard time taking Moore seriously since. Now I always listen for the pause between her lines
That said, I think Julianne Moore did a stand-up job as Alice. She may not have “paused” she had you believing her in the role of women with Alzheimer’s. With the right amount of “I’m losing my mind” crazy and the dazed “Who are you?” I can see why this was an Oscar performance.
One of the reasons why I watched Still Alice was Alec Baldwin. I’m a sucker for his timing, not to mention I think he has a great voice. Putting that aside he also gave a stand-up part. Playing the husband grappling with his wife’s diagnosis and adjustments his life must take.
Who could forget Kristen Stewart, better known as Bella Swan. I can’t say she’ll be the next “big thing” but she can act outside of a girl who falls in love with a vampire. Even so, she has her own “pause” that has always annoyed me, she sighs. Yes that’s right, she sighs, but in an exasperated way that has always irked me. (She did it in Twilight too). I appreciated the patience and need to understand her character portrayed. The meaning behind those exasperated sighs added to the film.
Still Alice is scary with a bit of tension about how Alice’s life will unfold and take shape, making an emotional film.
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