Movie: Still Alice

Still Alice:  based upon the Lisa Genova novel, this drama tells the story of a highly intelligent, very competent and popular Columbia University linguistics professor who, at age 50, realizes her ability to remember is slipping away due to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.  Julianne Moore deserves the Oscar she received for her role as Alice Howland.   Alice is married (Alex Baldwin as the husband) with three grown children.  The movie provides a realistic portrayal of how a family, and particularly the two daughters (Kate Bosworth and Kristen Stewart), react.  While the film’s focus is on Moore, Stewart gives an excellent performance as the younger daughter who is trying to fashion a career as an actress without losing track of her obligations as a daughter.  Baldwin is presented as a career driven research physician who is also trying to be a good husband.  His performance can only be described as adequate.  The son and older daughter are not fully presented as individuals.  The 99 minute film is written and directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland.  Glatzer has ALS, which I reference only because it may explain the sensitivity to illness shown throughout the film.  The disease overcomes Alice in a relatively short time which is, apparently, the reality of early-onset Alzheimer’s.  As the disease progresses, Moore’s appearance changes, her eyes become duller and her jaw slackens.  The reason to see this film is Moore’s performance.