"The Long Goodbye"

22 March 2024

2 mins 08s

Forget me knots.

In this film supporting the important work of the Alzheimer's Society, a man delivers a eulogy for his mother at her funeral. The cruelty of Alzheimer's is highlighted by his depiction of her recent demise as only being the last in a series of deaths. This is in keeping with the sense of loss felt by many whose loved ones slowly succumb to this disease.

Director Charlotte Regan keeps an even pace between pathos and anger, especially in the performance of the lead. This is a brave move as films like this normally lean toward sentimentality, but it's well judged and makes for a much more impactful impression.

The descent into Alzheimer's is obviously terrible for the person at its centre, but as this film makes clear, it's also terrible for those around them... arguably, more so.

An ageing population inevitably results in greater incidence of this debilitating disease and funding research into Alzheimer's has never been more important, something this film makes abundantly clear.

UK

Charities