Still Mine: Movie Review

Still Mine: Movie Review

Cast: James Cromwell, Geneviève Bujold, Campbell Scott
Director: Michael McGowan

Based on a true story, Still Mine is the tale of 89 year old Craig (played by Babe's James Cromwell) who is taking on the system over building a house.

The reason? Well, it's all about love.

Craig's wife (played by Geneviève Bujold) is losing her memory and is prone to dementia as well as accidents in their old home. So Craig decides to build on the land he owns, following the methods and construction taught to him by his father, who used to be a shipbuilder.

However, times have changed, and so have the planning laws - and Craig soon finds himself falling foul of the building inspector and the legal system. Despite being ordered to stop, Craig has more pressing matters at hand as his wife Irene grows sicker.

Still Mine is one of those films which is pleasant, watchable and has a wry humour which will resonate with many.

Both Cromwell and Bujold are perfect in their roles and bring to mind the loving duo of last year's Amour (but with a little less of the drama) - they encapsulate their roles well and don't force you to over compensate for them being older and pigeon holed as quaint old fogeys. Their battle is a real and realistic one blessed with little tender moments of humour and heart throughout.

Sure, there's the old one man versus bureaucracy angle at play here, but thanks to a wonderfully restrained turn by Cromwell, it's never anything less than fairly treated and sensitively handled.

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