Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: December 5, 2014
7.8
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Generally favorable reviews based on 256 Ratings
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220
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30
Negative:
6
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5
AxeTFeb 18, 2015
Very pedestrian but watchable TV movie treatment of frightening subject with good acting but not very deep emotionally and nothing exceptional as a film.
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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5
Tone01Dec 26, 2014
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A difficult film to dislike, "Still Alice" has its heart and head in the right place. Julianne Moore's performance, as always, is terrific. However, on the whole, it falls flat.

This story of a brilliant, vital women afflicted by a rare, congenital form of early onset Alzheimers fails in not fully exploring the emotion in the relationships between her and family, particularly hubby Alec Baldwin. Adding to the gap between audience and film is an excess of documentary education regarding this awful disease. All that and the redolence of Oscar bait.

Plainly, hubby acts a moron. His motivation in the midst of his wife's swift decline is a plum new job. He literally abandons her to move to Minnesota from New York. Throughout he is neutral by maintaining a cold, clinical outlook. He speaks nary a word regarding the intellectual and emotional loss of a wife he's spent decades beside. The filmmakers, either intentionally or not, portrayed his exit as a convenient way to move on. The tears he sheds before splitting smack of relief, not grief.

It's not only hubby foregoing real emotion. Moore's eldest, pregnant daughter reacts with an "It's okay" after discovering she has the gene and is doomed to a similar fate. While hysteria would push the story into unwanted melodrama, the non-reactive portrayal is similarly unwanted.

Moore's great concern with her youngest daughter is nagging about eschewing acting for the stability of a college education. It is this daughter who volunteers to caretake Mom. An odd final scene finds the daughter reading the play "Angels In America" to a far gone Moore. As if trying to wring something from her she is unable to give, the daughter asks, "What is the play about?" to which Moore haltingly replies, "Love." "That's right. Love," the daughter replies. Saying 'Love' does not infuse a story with the emotion. Showing love does, and it's absent here. Those close to Moore simply look at her with a morbid curiosity reserved for strangers.

Moore's decline is heartbreaking, particularly when a pre-planned suicide fails. It's a shame she's surrounded by matter-of-fact robots.

Audiences should not be required to fill in blanks of emotion between Moore and others. There have been far more affecting Disease of the Week made for TV movies. Disconnecting to emphasize the least important aspects of dealing with a person afflicted by this awful disease is more tragic than this story.
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1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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6
NedRyerson1Feb 25, 2015
Still Alice is a walk through the impact of Alzheimer’s disease, not only on the patient but also on his family. As the story goes by we see the protagonist facing the different steps of an illness: first denial about the possibility andStill Alice is a walk through the impact of Alzheimer’s disease, not only on the patient but also on his family. As the story goes by we see the protagonist facing the different steps of an illness: first denial about the possibility and desperation to uncertainly, second fall apart at knowing the diagnosis and third, acceptance and surrender to the disease. Then we have the family, with each one of family members we notice distinct ways to cope. The changing of expectations on what she can or can't do, moving on with one's life, stepping aside and staying for the time remaining. Either way it's possible to empathize with this scenario. Julianne Moore gives a brutally realistic performance, reaching unimaginable levels of depression, with a climax at the scene of the speech. The problem is the passiveness in which the story is told, making it very hard to follow, really an exhausting movie (but hey, that's life with a sick relative). Expand
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5
Compi24Feb 28, 2015
"Still Alice" is a frustratingly plotless film that hangs delicately from two thin threads -- its truly remarkable lead turn from Moore and its worthwhile supporting cast.
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6
LowbrowCinemaJan 27, 2015
Julianne Moore is the center of STILL ALICE and it is her lack of all artifice that makes STILL ALICE quite powerful. The film is directly about alzheimers but ultimately about the loss of self that disease hurdles upon its victims. It's aJulianne Moore is the center of STILL ALICE and it is her lack of all artifice that makes STILL ALICE quite powerful. The film is directly about alzheimers but ultimately about the loss of self that disease hurdles upon its victims. It's a terrifying film that induces tears because it is so matter of fact and not shy about those facts. If Moore is wonderful, Kristen Stewart is quite a revelation. She brings a depth and truth to her role as Moore's daughter which the other actors simply cannot deliver. And hence the problem with STILL ALICE. For all it's remarkable directness, STILL ALICE cannot resist a cliche and those cliches undermine far too much of the excellent work. Expand
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6
truckproductionApr 6, 2015
It was just fine. The movie was a bit clunky and the casting was terrible. Alec Baldwin had no business being cast in this film other than to ensure a high profile name for a big release. Julianne Moore is exquisite and truly should have wonIt was just fine. The movie was a bit clunky and the casting was terrible. Alec Baldwin had no business being cast in this film other than to ensure a high profile name for a big release. Julianne Moore is exquisite and truly should have won the oscar. But the emotional beats felt somewhat interrupted, almost jumpy and lost. The tone of the film could have been more cohesive.. All in all it was fine. Nothing great here. Expand
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6
AndrewPreviewJun 15, 2015
Interesting/frightening/depressing for its subject matter, but I agree that it felt a bit like a TV movie, except with better actors. It strayed into melodrama at times, for example in the scenes between mother and rebellious daughter, andInteresting/frightening/depressing for its subject matter, but I agree that it felt a bit like a TV movie, except with better actors. It strayed into melodrama at times, for example in the scenes between mother and rebellious daughter, and the speech scene complete with the audience wiping their eyes.

It did almost feel like it was designed to deliver Julianne Moore an Oscar. And she was very good, but I can't help feeling that a role like that is manna from heaven for any decent actor. Alec Baldwin's less sympathetic role was possibly the more challenging?
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6
JLuis_001Sep 6, 2017
Still Alice is a simple and digestible film, it approaches its subject with class and dignity and it does not shamelessly tries to blackmail its audience neither morally, nor emotionally, as I said being a simple movie, its power rests in itsStill Alice is a simple and digestible film, it approaches its subject with class and dignity and it does not shamelessly tries to blackmail its audience neither morally, nor emotionally, as I said being a simple movie, its power rests in its script and the enormous performance provided by Julianne Moore.
Honestly I recommend it, I know that many will find it enjoyable, others may not but that's how this works.
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