Away From Her - 7.5

Away From Her tells the story of a married couple torn apart when the wife (Julie Christie) moves into a rest home after being diagnosed with Alzheimers. It really is a well-done, heartbreaking story that brutally portrays the horrors of Alzheimers. Julie Christie shines and has been getting well-deserved hype but her male counterpart Gordon Pinsent also does his part carrying the film. There's a side story between Pinsent and the wife of another Alzheimer victim (played by Olympia Dukakis) that didn't necessarily work for me, but outside of that, I have very few complaints. Oscar Outlook Will probably be overlooked in all the major categories besides Best Actress, where it seems that Julie Christie is currently a front-runner. She's probably a lock for at least a nomination. Predictions Best Actress Win - Christie deservedly wins her 2nd Oscar for doing one of the Academy's favorite things - playing a character with a mental illness. A former star turning in a fantastic performance at an old(er) age also should greatly help her chances (think Katharine Hepburn in On Golden Pond).