Away From Her (2007)
Away From Her (2007) 7/10
There are performances which win awards, and Julie Christie’s performance in Away From her is a performance that deserves an award. A small film that banks on the excellent performance of its cast, Away From Her is at once both romantic, sublime and quietly moving. Its refreshing to see older people featured as leads and this well crafted drama details how Alzheimer’s slowly destroys the relationship of a couple who have been married for many years. It is in many ways the antithesis of the standard romance flick that Hollywood churns out with mechanic regularity. There is no room for a happily ever after, and the film has a raw honesty about it that makes it so charming. Unfortunately, without sweet young starlets, explosions or CGI, the slow plot of Away From Her will probably bore those who want mindless entertainment. But those with discerning tastes will find a hidden gem and the patient ones will be quietly bowled over by the excellent acting and poignant script.
“Away From Her, like its dominant image of the tracks in the snow made fresh, time and again, from cross-country skiing, is a phantom of a movie whose beautiful flakes fall into the deep crevices of memory long after the seasons change. “- Austin Chronicle
