Greetings again from the darkness. Most everyone has experienced the traumatic signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia in a loved one or friend. It’s heartbreaking to watch someone you care about fade away in front of you. Writer-director Lance Hammer (BALLAST, 2008) finds a new way to open our eyes to these situations. It’s still heartbreaking, yet he’s also managed to make it thought-provoking in a ‘what would you do’ kind of way.
Amanda (Oscar winner Juliette Binoche) shows up at the home of her mother and stepfather, finding them embraced in a moment of intimacy. Amanda immediately begins barking at Martin (Tom Courtenay, 45 YEARS, 2015), saying he promised to stop having sex with Leslie (screen veteran Anna Calder-Marshall) since it appears her dementia has advanced to the point that she can no longer give consent. A phone call to the police kicks off a stream of events that no one could have envisioned.
There is an old saying about a certain road being ‘paved with the best intentions.’ We have no doubt that Amanda loves her mother and is trying to protect her. As the story unfolds, we also have no doubt that Martin loves his wife and treats her kindly. He claims she initiates intimacy and he can tell it’s what she wants. Martin gets arrested and the bedroom is quarantined as a crime scene. Soon, Leslie is being interviewed by a psychiatrist and examined by a doctor. In other words, this couple in their 80’s has their life turned upside down by experts who supposedly know better. Even Amanda believes they shouldn’t be separated.
With a dose of irony, things get even more complicated when Leslie is moved into a memory home for care. And while Amanda is focused on this situation, her teenage daughter Sarah (Florence Hunt, “Bridgerton”) is living alone at their home, getting a bit closer to a particular classmate. Amanda’s reaction to this is contrasted to her concerns about her mother’s situation.
The acting here is elite, especially for Anna Calder-Marshall and Tom Courtenay, although Ms. Binoche carries the less sympathetic role. Filmmaker Hammer provides no easy answers, although his film excels at providing a realistic situation where best intentions and expert guidance could make things worse instead of better. Of course, that’s not always the case … but how are we to know?
Opens in theaters on October 30, 2026
