Released on DVD in the USA
May 6, 2014
Some films adopt the point of view of adult children, as does The Savages (2007) , Big Fish (2003) and Marvin's Room (1996).
Other times an ensemble cast allows a multigenerational perspective, as is present in Is Anybody There (2008), Checking Out (2005) and Nothing in Common (1986).
Because I am trying to empathize more with the challenges and opportunities of advanced age, I value films that adopt the point of view of older adults.
Still Mine, with a 2013 limited release in Canada, takes such a viewpoint. Available in the US on DVD this year, I finally took the opportunity to watch it.
James Cromwell plays Craig Morrison, an octogenarian who decides to build a one-story home for his wife, Irene--played by Genevieve Bujold. She has dementia and struggles to manage the stairs in their two-story farm house.
Based on a true story, Craig runs into snags because he doesn't have the right building permits. Craig also runs into interference from his adult children. They think Craig should move his ailing wife into an assisted living center.
The title of the film comes from Craig's passionate assertion. He judges himself capable of caring for his wife, and he will do so because she's "still mine."
Aging often pits safety against self-determination, and this film is one that depicts a very strong drive for independence. It helps me understand how older adults feel about making their own decisions. Of course there are some situations where people's judgments are impaired because of change to cognition. But this isn't the case with Craig, and this film character provides a very salient portrait of that will to control one's life circumstances.
Related:
Films about Aging
