177. Never Steady, Never Still; movie review

NEVER STEADY, NEVER STILL
Cert 15
112 mins
BBFC advice: Contains very strong language, strong sex, drugs misuse

As the poster suggests, Never Steady, Never Still, really does explore the power of family in unexpected ways.
It also features one of the stand-out performances of the year by Shirley Henderson as a mother who is fighting the ravages of well established Parkinson's Disease.
Kathleen Hepburn's film also alights upon her son's exploration of his sexuality in the harsh environment of a drilling rig.
Both elements have fertile ground and, in Henderson and Théodore Pellerin, Hepburn has actors who could have made her movie even more compelling.
However, it feels padded and its most arresting drama is reserved to a handful of brief scenes.
This could be explained by the fact that Never Steady, Never Still is an expanded 18-minute short which received acclaim in 2015.
It is set in a remote but beautiful lakeside Canadian location which seems idyllic until harsh winters set in.
These add to the myriad problems which Henderson's character already faces.
Simple tasks to the rest of us, like taking a bath, become traumas to her and the longer the film progresses, the more arduous her life becomes.
Meanwhile, her son feels duty-bound to take more care of her while trying to overcome his own problems and voyage of discovery.
Never Steady, Never Still is impressive in its acting and in its backdrop but its storyline is too stretched for my liking and its conclusion left me dissatisfied.
But I guess there isn't an obvious finale to a condition as progressively debilitating as Parkinson's.
Hepburn's mother has suffered it for 25 years and thought Henderson and her daughter had nailed it. She knows better than I do.

Reasons to watch: Outstanding performance by Shirley Henderson
Reasons to avoid: Two many scenes linger too long 

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Director quote - Kathleen Hepburn: "I think it was emotional, but it’s so much a part of my life. When I watch the film I don’t see what other people see in terms of how difficult it is because it just feels very normal. That’s every day.”

The big question - How difficult must it be to live with a degenerative disease?

Share this post