Still Alice - I have lots of feelings about this, one of which is surprising.....

DR RATING 8/10

.....I actually thought Kirsten Stewart was great. Julianne Moore as Alice was incredible and that Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role was definitely not undeserving. Still Alice tackles some tough subject matter; with the central character Alice, a highly intelligent woman being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's, we watch as the degenerative disease take hold of her. The cast deal with the content with such grace and respect, hats of to all of them. Though the film doesn't go too deeply into the full effect that Alzheimer's has on its sufferers, it focuses on the heavy emotional impact it has on the family. There are some lovely bitter-sweet interactions between Alice and her youngest Daughter Lydia played by Stewart, which I found particularly endearing. Alec Baldwin is excellent as Alice's husband who you empathise with deeply as you watch him use work as a block to avoid what's going on. Kate Bosworth and Hunter Parrish play Alice's other children, whilst playing a smaller part in the movie, the deal with the fallout of the possibility of being carriers of the disease. Alice does try to create a way of keeping some control of her life.  If anything it should be a great advocate in Dignitas and Dignity in  Dying.  Although this is more of a drama than a political piece, I can't help feel that that is what the movie was indirectly trying to say.