This is one of the few films that I ended up giving a higher rating upon second viewing. In fact, if you didn't see the twist ending coming during the first viewing, the second time around you'll feel like you're watching a completely different movie. If you've seen the film, 'The Sixth Sense', you'll know what I'm talking about.
If you haven't seen the film at all, I suggest that you skip this review since it's better to experience the movie without knowing much about it when you view it for the first time. **SPOILERS AHEAD** Since the twist ending pops up in the final fifteen minutes of the film, upon first viewing, the film appears to be a sentimental tale of a burgeoning romance between an elderly couple. Robert Malone (played by veteran Martin Landau) is a lonely man who works in supermarket and appears to be friends with Mike, the store's manager. Robert is startled when he finds Mary (Ellen Burstyn) inside his home and angrily tells her to get out. Mary tells him that she found the front door open and only came in to check on whether he was alright. Mary tells Robert that she lives across the street and ends up asking him whether he'd be interested in going out on a date.
The film is set at Christmas time and the soundtrack features many traditional Christmas numbers. I felt during the first viewing that I was watching a series of scenes reminding me of the famous illustrator and painter of Americana, Norman Rockwell. There seemed to be very little conflict between the principals and I was about to dismiss the whole thing as one of those cutesy, overly sentimental stories about elderly people finding love at an advanced age. There were clues however that the film was not at all what I thought it was about but I missed them all. First off, there were some rather spooky interludes that appeared to be nightmares that Robert was experiencing. There are other seemingly enigmatic scenes the first time around—Mary's daughter Alex expressing misgivings about the romance, cryptically telling her mother that she didn't want her to get hurt as well as Robert misinterpreting Mary's encounter with a man at a party they go to.
**SUPER SPOILERS AHEAD** Everything becomes clear fifteen minutes before the film's end. Robert is actually married to Mary and has Alzheimer's. Mike and Alex are his children. Mary has moved in across the street with her daughter as it has become impossible to live with him all the time and the family doesn't have the heart put him in a nursing home. Since Robert no longer recognizes Mary and she still wants to be involved with him, she pretends that they've just met and are dating for the first time.
During my second viewing, the film takes on a completely different quality. With everything now clear, the film is now a sad and poignant tale of a woman who seeks to maintain a relationship with her husband despite the crushing reality of Alzheimer's. The spooky interludes, representing Robert's clouded memories, are nothing more than flashbacks to the time he was normal. Until the film's end, the flashbacks are almost subliminal—images that appear on the screen for about a second. But toward the end, writer/director Nicholas Fackler, allows the flashbacks to appear on screen for a second or two longer—now we see the images are of Robert and his family in happier times.
Fackler's clever screenplay is enhanced by the brilliant cinematography of Sean Kirby who manages to convey a world that resembles a Hallmark Greeting Card interspersed with rumblings from a Stephen King novel. At a recent viewing of the film, I managed to hear Fackler speak about his first meeting with Martin Landau. Fackler was determined to have Landau star in his picture and ended up having a five hour meeting at a restaurant with the noted actor. Apparently the two bonded for both are artists in addition to being involved in the film world. Landau agreed to be in the movie and asked Fackler who he had in mind for the part of Mary. Fackler mentioned Ellen Burstyn and Landau told Fackler that he was friends with her and would try and bring her on board.
Older actors such as Landau don't get much of an opportunity these days to play lead parts. Landau makes the most in his role as the afflicted Robert, more than ably conveying the violent mood swings of an Alzheimer's victim. Ellen Burstyn is sensational as the giving and understanding wife whose love is unconditional.
On first viewing, you'll probably find most of 'Lovely, Still', slow-going as I did. But once you find out what's really going on, the second view will be much better than the first!
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