Alice was a a brilliant professor who captivated the academic world with her lectures and publications, a wife who was beautiful and deeply loved by her husband, and a supermom who raised three children that adored her. Yet, because of one tiny malfunctioning gene that she carried, she almost lost them all at age 50. She suffered from an early onset of Alzheimer. At the onset, she simply forget where she was going, names she was supposed to know, and faces she was supposed to recognize. As the condition deteriorated, and quickly, simple daily tasks became almost impossible for her, let alone holding on to her crown of glory -- her acclaimed position as a professor at Colombia University and a world-renowned neurology researcher.
Acknowledging her rate of decline, she resorted to technology to help her remember. Relying not only on her iphone to create constant reminders and notes, she also made selfie videos that provided instructions for herself to follow at the later stage of her condition. The most poignant moment came when in her deeply depleted Alzheimer mind, she found a video she recorded previously, instructing her on how to commit suicide.
"You have had a wonderful life Alice... you had a successful career, great marriage, awesome kids... it's time to end this misery," recorded Alice, telling her much susceptible self.
At first it seems noble that she tried to end the "misery" not only for herself, but also for the sake of her family, to eliminate their burden of taking care of an Alzheimer patient. Yet, I can't help but noticed how with such decision, Alice also determined that her career or her state of mind is more valuable than life itself. One's life is no longer worth a living when one's mind dissipates.
Though the movie showed that the smart Alice's plan to kill her foolish self was foiled, she was eventually abandoned by her husband with whom she had a great marriage with, and left to the care of her youngest daughter.
First Alice wanted herself no more, second, her beloved husband wanted her no more, due to the fact that she was losing her state of mind, and her pristine career.
The actress playing Alice, Julianne Moore won an Oscar for this movie. Does it say anything to us about how this movie mirrors the world view that the fans and supporters of this movie holds?
Is Alice, who is "Still Alice" in spite of Alzheimer, still worth living?
Acknowledging her rate of decline, she resorted to technology to help her remember. Relying not only on her iphone to create constant reminders and notes, she also made selfie videos that provided instructions for herself to follow at the later stage of her condition. The most poignant moment came when in her deeply depleted Alzheimer mind, she found a video she recorded previously, instructing her on how to commit suicide.
"You have had a wonderful life Alice... you had a successful career, great marriage, awesome kids... it's time to end this misery," recorded Alice, telling her much susceptible self.
At first it seems noble that she tried to end the "misery" not only for herself, but also for the sake of her family, to eliminate their burden of taking care of an Alzheimer patient. Yet, I can't help but noticed how with such decision, Alice also determined that her career or her state of mind is more valuable than life itself. One's life is no longer worth a living when one's mind dissipates.
Though the movie showed that the smart Alice's plan to kill her foolish self was foiled, she was eventually abandoned by her husband with whom she had a great marriage with, and left to the care of her youngest daughter.
First Alice wanted herself no more, second, her beloved husband wanted her no more, due to the fact that she was losing her state of mind, and her pristine career.
The actress playing Alice, Julianne Moore won an Oscar for this movie. Does it say anything to us about how this movie mirrors the world view that the fans and supporters of this movie holds?
Is Alice, who is "Still Alice" in spite of Alzheimer, still worth living?
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