In 44 years of marriage, Grant hasn't been away from his wife Fiona. Now he's
facing the biggest absence of all.

With Alzheimer's taking over Fiona's life, the decision has been made that she
needs to be taken care of in a facility that can care for her better than what
Grant is capable of.

From Grant's perspective it shows that with Alzheimer's the toll on family is
often harder as they watch the loved one disappear, than on the patient who
just goes on.

As Grant delivers Fiona to Meadowlakes, he faces the challenge that he won't be
allowed contact for thirty days to allow her to settle in.

His only source of comfort comes from Nurse Kristy who he phones for updates.
This doesn't prepare him for the day when he arrives and discovers that Fiona
has become attached to patient Aubrey and Grant is a faded memory.

This movie delves into his pain of losing her.

His anger as he wonders if she is playing a game to pay him back for
infidelities when they were younger.

His love for her comes shining through that even though she has forgotten him,
he still visits her.

When she becomes depressed after Aubrey' is moved back home for financial
reasons, he goes to plead with Aubrey's wife Marian to return him to help Fiona.

The filming is as though the camera didn't want to intrude on such a sensitive
subject so we get shots with the camera just observing what is occurring.

Time lapse is used to empty a room after visiting hours and adds to Grant's
desperation about leaving Fiona to cope without him.

Jule Christie is a great actor. She is beautiful and luminous so when she
becomes lost it's sad to see her not shining bright. She could very well get an
Oscar nod for this performance.

Gordon Pinsent did seem like a lost husband as he inhabited his part so well.

Excellent Olympia Dukakis plays another one of her world-weary tough broad
characters but it was fine because it wasn't over-played.

There's another movie with Alzheimer's called The Notebook which many a person
will recall wiping away the odd tear, too.  This isn't quite the weepfest that
The Notebook was. It has moments of high emotion but it's simple in its story
and delivery. Based on Alice Munro's book The Bear Came over the Mountain, it's
a good adaptation.