Away From Her is a quiet little gem of a film. Written and directed by Sarah Polley, based on Alice Munro’s short story “The Bear Came Over the Mountain,” it’s a tender, naked look at a man who must come to terms with his wife’s rapidly advancing Alzheimer’s.
Not big enough to duke it out with juggernauts like No Country for Old Men or There Will Be Blood, this film was still able to slide under the radar and pick up Oscar nominations for Best Actress (Julie Christie) and Best Screenplay Adaptation (Polley).
"A Little Bit of Grace" and "The Spark of Life"
Grant (Gordon Pinsent) and Fiona (Christie) have been married for 44 years. She proposed to him on a lark; he accepted. “I took her up on it,” he says. “I never wanted to be away from her. She had the spark of life.” Now, with her acute Alzheimer’s getting worse, he can no longer care for her.
