The film industry is very familiar with how to portray cancer. Many excellent films have thoughtfully approached the subject, including "The Fault in Our Stars," "My Sister’s Keeper," "50/50" and more.
But how can a degenerative cognitive disease like Alzheimer’s translate to the big screen?
The newly released film "Still Alice," based on the book by Lisa Genova, focuses on one woman’s personal struggle with the disease. The film chooses to be inspiring rather than tear jerking, but at a cost. "Still Alice" does not resonate like it could have by including more emotional performances from family members.
The film’s name may ring a bell because Julianne Moore recently won a Golden Globe for her performance as Alice, a 50-year-old woman diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Alice is a professor at Columbia University who begins to notice she is have difficulty with daily tasks, like remembering specific words in her lectures or finding her way home from her usual running route. She is diagnosed with a genetically linked form of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and tries to cope with her new life. Her three adult children and husband bear witness to her decline and her struggle to enjoy as much of her remaining life as she can.
Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease. It’s fatal, and there is currently no cure. More so than any of the other leading causes of death in the U.S., it requires intensive, round-the-clock care during the end stages of the progression.
But most importantly, Alzheimer’s takes a devastating toll on families.
I’ve seen first hand the destruction this disease causes. Living with and caring for a loved one with early-onset Alzheimer’s is heartbreaking, frustrating, exhausting and very rarely rewarding. It’s hard to see someone you’ve known your whole life quite literally lose his or her mind, dignity and ability to appreciate life.
Moore deserved her Golden Globe 100 percent. Her portrayal of an Alzheimer’s patient was remarkably accurate. Everything from the subtle mannerisms, like speaking with slow, stagnated words, to casually brushing off reminders from her family with a smile and an “Oh, I knew that,” felt like déjà vu.
In one scene, Alice’s current deterioration is shown side by side with her former self when she watches a video she left on her laptop a year ago for her future self to watch. It’s a shock to see how easily Alice used to speak and how polished she kept her appearance.
Unfortunately, the screenplay left the all-star supporting cast, including Alec Baldwin, Kate Bosworth and Kristen Stewart, with comparatively little to work with. Considering the impact Alzheimer’s disease has on families, l was disappointed to see the lack of anecdotes showing the family’s struggle.
How did Alice’s husband, John, overcome the stigma of the disease when he had to explain to his colleagues why his wife, a renowned professor on tenure, wasn’t working anymore?
Who did Alice's daughter Lydia turn to for support when Alice forgot she was her daughter, and not just an actress, after seeing Lydia’s play?
How did Alice’s oldest daughter, Anna, cope with the overwhelming discovery that she too carried the gene for early-onset Alzheimer’s?
Truth be told, the reason the film does not resonate as much as it could have is because the audience is viewing everything from Alice’s perspective, which became increasingly disabled as she progressed with the disease. It’s a unique perspective to be sure, but limited.
Accordingly, the most poignant moments of the film are from Alice’s perspective. The first is rather early on when Alice wakes John up in the middle of the night to tell him that her doctor suspects she has Alzheimer’s, and she begins to sob uncontrollably. Watching her pour out her fear of losing everything she loves is excruciating.
The second, also the climax of the film, comes when Alice delivers a speech explaining what it feels like to have Alzheimer’s at an event for the Alzheimer’s Association. In reality, there is a very slim chance a real Alzheimer’s patient could have delivered that speech at the stage Alice was experiencing, but Moore’s performance is still inspiring in a happy-tears kind of way. “Live in the moment,” she urges.
The film does effectively raise awareness of the disease, particularly the little known fact that early-onset Alzheimer’s can strike people as young as 30.
The film hits on many of the major warning signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, as stated on the Alzheimer’s Association website.
Alzheimer’s can go undetected for longer than many realize, as some symptoms can be attributed to menopause or simply getting forgetful with old age. Alice’s doctor tells Alice and John that her PET scan showed a high concentration of amyloid buildup in her brain, the telltale indicator of Alzheimer’s, meaning she could have technically been symptomatic for years without realizing it.
Additionally, Alice’s first symptoms are more serious than short-term memory loss. She becomes disoriented in familiar places and when she forgets words, it’s more than having a word on the tip of her tongue. The word just disappears. It’s common for Alzheimer’s patients to cope with aphasia, or the loss of words and speech, by using general nouns like “thing” frequently, as Alice does.
"Still Alice" is a great first step toward seeing more focus on Alzheimer’s in Hollywood. The message is overall uplifting, despite the difficult subject matter.
Like the butterfly on the necklace she wears, Alice’s life is short, but meaningful. Memories may fade, but every life has a purpose.
Learn more about Alzheimer's disease at www.alz.org.
Reach the reporter at enichol3@asu.edu or follow @liznichols4
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