«What they had»: Alzheimer's disease that fragments2 reading minutes

Cinema Wednesdays - Lauriane Pipoz

Bridget's mother, who has Alzheimer's, goes out and gets lost in the city one blizzardy evening. Worried, Bridget's father calls her brother, who then joins them. Her mother is soon found, but the decision of whether or not to put her in hospital hangs over the family. And reawakening resentments, Bridget sets out to tear her apart.

Elizabeth Chomko's first film is based on the story of her own family: she calls it a «love poem» for her family. And it succeeds: the characters are touching, and the story is told with great skill.

In search of happiness

The main plot revolves around the opposition between Bridget's brother Nicki and their father: while the former is convinced that his mother needs to be put in a specialist hospital, the latter has absolutely no intention of doing so. We quickly fall in love with the old man who refuses to abandon his wife. We can't help but agree with him when we hear him repeat that love is a commitment, and we share his distress.

But there are other issues at stake. The old patriarch seems to have retained a clear tendency to control and judge his children's lives. Each of them has adopted a different response to this attitude. This creates new conflicts and makes them question their own outlook on life.

These characters, in search of happiness, are faced with questions that beset us every day. So touching, because so banal. None of them seem idealized: we can see that they're all trying to do the right thing, but can't quite manage it. Bridget, the main protagonist, seems particularly walled in by her solitude.

A very fine film

While some feelings are verbalized in dialogue, others are also suggested by slower shots or ellipses. This latter element lends the film a great deal of finesse, helping it to escape from a story that drags on and on. The pace is alternating, with numerous events taking place that don't make the viewer feel rushed. On the contrary: at times, they seem to be suspended in the story, before being caught up in a new scene.

The music is soft and sober, and the film is also punctuated by shades of lightness. The family laughs on numerous occasions, showing that not everything has to be taken so seriously. These scenes are among the most touching. They reflect the dissensions between the characters, since they don't all laugh at the same time, but also provide a positive touch despite the heaviness of the theme. A very tough theme, but handled with great class.

Write to the author: lauriane.pipoz@leregardlibre.com

Photo credit: © Impuls Pictures