Still Alice (Julianne Moore, Kristen Stewart)

[Holmes]

My review -

In Still Alice, Julianne Moore delivers a phenomenal performance as the title character, a 50-year-old academic in the field of linguistics whose life is upended by a nightmare diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The release of this film is intertwined with this sensational season of for-your-consideration champagne toasts and golden trophies. It is regarded by many as an incidental project which should be grateful to contain the performance for which the beautiful and widely revered Moore is destined to win her first Academy Award after several nominations. And, yes, her performance, a nuanced and searing portrayal of a strong and wise woman vanishing from within as her memories and viewpoints fade, is a towering achievement and the undeniable heart of the film, but Still Alice is a fine piece in general. Its sense of despair is matched by a subtle sense of humor, and the star turn is complemented by many worthy peripheral performances. One is by Alec Baldwin, reminding us he is a capable actor, not just a tabloid-friendly source of bluster, as John, Alice's well-intentioned-but-outmatched husband. Another is by the ever-improving Kristen Stewart as Lydia, the most free-spirited and wayward of Alice's children, yet perhaps the one best suited to caring for or at least sympathizing with her ailing mother as she slips past the point of no return, even losing her command of speech. In their scenes together, she and Moore create a certain authentic and enchanting shorthand, and it is not hard to believe they are a mother and daughter who slightly mystify, yet truly adore one another.

If the film deserves a modest scolding on any level, it may be the way it sidesteps an enormous concern for many terminal Alzheimer's patients and their families: finances. Alice lives in a rather epicurean realm almost reminiscent of the oeuvre of Nancy Meyers, and the film seldom pauses to consider her wealth or social status. Her family's spectacular brownstone is outshone only by their delicious beach house. A maid is never far away, and a nursing home is only a source of potential personal shame, not economic burden. I hesitate to strongly chide the film for featuring wealthy characters with a luxurious one-percent lifestyle, particularly considering how much it moved and satisfied me, but it is at least an interesting dynamic to contemplate as one wipes away the tears and cheers for Julianne Moore at the very top of her game.

A- or B+