Lovely, Still (2012)

Other reviews speak to the story's surprises quite well, and I agree that the acting by the four key players is superb.What makes this film more special than its twists and performances is the fact that it explores love among elderly people without being demeaning, and without sentimentalizing them into goofy old codgers. Landau conveys an excitement for romance that anyone of any age can relate to, and Burstyn is just so convincing in her role, which is more demanding than it first seems. Hollywood tends to make old men horny and vulgar, with old women being prudish and celibate, while this fine indie production is able to bring out many nuances within these complex, venerable lovebirds.Just BE PATIENT if you become frustrated with the lack of character development. I found this frustrating at first, but there are important reasons-- both within the story and in terms of how society treats the elderly-- why we do not learn much "background information" about these characters. Hollywood movies about the elderly go to great lengths to have old characters tell stories about their younger days, and to explain how they came to be the cranky or corny curmudgeons they are today. This movie lets you spend some time simply appreciating the unexpected romance between two deserving people.And as a Christmas movie, I think anyone past childhood would like this.In fact, anyone who does not like this movie is probably not yet dealing with adulthood.

Lovely, Still is a beautiful movie that rounds out 2 complex characters so completely that the ending, although heartbreaking, is perfect. Since Alzheimer's is a disease that touches many families this is a very poignant film to remind the viewer how precious time is with those we love. The beginning of the film, although a bit slow, captures your heart by investing time in watching two sole mates find each other, you think, later in life. The end of the film you see the struggle with overall conclusion that no matter against what odds, love is the most important thing. I will recommend everyone in my life to watch this film for the sake of reminding them how blessed we are.

I rarely do this, recommend a bad film. But I will ask if you start this, that you see it through.The film takes advantage of the fact that we have a profoundly well developed notion of a movie romance. We have that here: older woman moves in and that same day asks the old man across the street for a date. They hit it off and have a wonderful Christmas a couple days later. He is a lonely bagger at the local grocery store, and apparently has never had a Christmas with another soul. In the first scene, we see him wrapping a present to himself.For the first very long section, we are dipped in movie love, as we not only see the romance but we see it with an excess of cinematic sugar: when she says she likes him, the entire street lights up with Christmas lights behind her, for instance. There is lots of snow and gauzy happiness. In the filmmaker's defense, we are given some hints that things are not quite right. Our fellow has nightmares of unformed nature. Our love interest across the street is panicked when a prescription goes awry. Our fellow seems to occasionally get confused and borderline violent.And then after an immersion in the sickly romance as perceived by our guy, we have a big reveal. He has advanced dementia. The woman and her daughter across the street is his family and has been for decades, but he has forgotten. He fell in love with his wife all over again. The store where he works is a business he built, now managed by a quirky guy we discover is his son. His wife has been sneaking in every day and preparing meals, drugs (the problem prescription was his) and reminder post-its. This is a pretty disturbing shift, in part because it is so unexpected. Any filmmaker who would stoop as low as we had experienced for an hour, milking the cheapest of tricks would be expected to coast home on those alone. But it does recast what we have seen (and been somewhat affected by) as the last kind of story that a disappearing mind can hold on to. And that is something even the most talent filmmakers fail with much of the time.Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

I came across this gem of a film on cable by accident and was taken by its beauty, sensitivity, and honesty. It is a realistic portrait of a loving family coping with "the long good-bye" of Alzheimers, of a wife trying keep the connection between her and her husband alive even if the wiring is faulty, of a man among people who care yet is still traveling alone down the road to oblivion. Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn are fantastic. I knew from the beginning that something was off in the storyline, but the end revelation caught me by surprise anyway. A "must-see" for anyone caring for a loved one with this devastating disease. My mother had Alzheimers and our only consolation was that she passed away before she stopped recognizing my father.