This is a one of those rather glorious no-holds-barred weepy melodramas that Hollywood would have termed as a ‘women’s picture’ in the good old days. It still is in a sense, but for entirely different reasons. This time the romantic pair at the centre of this rather wonderful sad tale are lesbians.
It is the story of Daytime Emmy winning actress Lainey Allen (Crystal Chappell) who has been a Soap Opera star for the past twenty years. She is starting to worry that the producers are cutting her story lines and instead giving them to younger actors, so she chooses to not renew her Contract this time around when it expires. There is another reason for choosing early retirement at just 49 years old, but she is keeping that to herself for the moment.
She and her younger partner (Jessica Leccia), who also acts her publicist, move to a glorious beach house overlooking a quieter part of the California Coast. Initially Lainey has trouble winding down as any ex-workaholic would, and as she tries to adjust to a new leisurely life, she gets somewhat irritated when she forgets the most mundane things. So much so that Eva insists she goes to the Doctor (Robert Gant) to have a check up and that is where they are told that she has the hereditary gene for early onslaught Alzheimers.
Lainey had always had known about the possibility and he fact that she had chosen never to mention during the 10 years together is the reason for their first fight. As Lainey’s mood swings get more extreme she varies from being optimistic to downright pessimistic and at the same time forbidding Eva to share the news with anyone. There comes a point however when her diagnosis is impossible to hide, and the pressure on the two women’s relationship at times then is near unbearable.
Even though there can be no surprises with the outcome of this story, the journey these two take together is beautifully told and with such compassion, that it makes for such compelling viewing. There is enormous chemistry between Chappell (a Daytime Emmy Award Winner) and Leica both veteran Soap Actors who actually played a lesbian couple in T.V’s Guiding Light drama for some years. Their very convincing performances as these two lovers watching the inevitable loss of their relationship makes this movie the utter sheer joy that it is.
Directed by Albert Alarr from a script written by Marisa Calin this is one melodrama that cannot fail to make you get through at least two boxes of Kleenex. You will not just be weeping for the loss of a loved one, but also for the one left and living alone.
Labels: 2017, alzheimers, lesbian, melodrama
