Movie: Still Alice

The story of mother of three, Alice, who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the relatively tender age of 50 is not as gloomy as it could have been. It is sadder for an intellectual, and Alice is a professor of, of all things, linguistics, to be struck down with a disease that incapacitates the memory. Alice’s whole career is built on her knowledge and like most people, I immediately think of my own situation; as a trainer, I rarely have notes but rely on my memory to come up with both the questions to start debates and the solutions where needed. I dislike interrupting the flow of conversation by having a set format to follow, it would just not be my style at all. It would be even more frustrating to be unable to take part in pop quizzes because I know the answer but can’t quite recollect it in time.But this is not happening to me, it’s happening to lots of other people and to the lady on the big screen, who is writing down simple questions on her phone app (daughters name, etc.) that she tasks herself to answer every day. The problems begin when she starts to lose her phone – don’t we all do that? – And worse, when she forgets where the bathroom is.It is refreshing to see Alec Baldwin playing it straight brilliantly as her fellow professor husband who dotes on her, adjusting well to her condition. I love the moment when she is invited to speak about her experience at a conference and her own doctor is actually one of the delegates listening.I learnt one of the directors just passed away last week after an illness so I’m glad Richard Glatzer got to see his film being well received.8/10Smile factor 5/10