Still Mine

Let me start by addressing the central problem, in my opinion, of the movie. The protagonist, Craig, a man in his 80s, builds a house without complying with applicable building codes. The premise, often stated, is that these codes are unjust when applied to him, and that he is justified in ignoring them as he knows what he is doing. Building codes are universal and have been for as long as civilization. The oldest known building code is contained in the Code of Hammurabi of the 1750s BC – that is, nearly four thousand years ago. If a building collapsed and killed someone, the Code said the builder was to be killed; makes today’s codes seem pretty mild by comparison. Surely Craig knew that there were laws, and regulations promulgated pursuant to those laws, and that he had to obey them whether he agreed with them or not – if the speed limit was 35 mph and he drove 50 mph because he thought that was a safe speed for that road and the posted limit was stupid, he could not be surprised if he were stopped and ticketed. Yet he proceeds with building his house without obtaining the proper permits or required inspections and expresses disgust and outrage when the local official charged with enforcing the code calls him to account, and we are clearly meant to identify with Craig and denounce overbearing bureaucracy.Let me add briefly that the premise that Craig knows what he is doing is quite beside the point. I live in an area where one of the largest builders, a national company, is Del Webb. No one doubts that Del Webb knows how to build a house. But if they decide to erect a new model, they will have to obtain approval of their plans in advance and then submit to periodic inspections during the building process to make certain that they comply with the code at each step – the inspector can’t check the piping once the walls are up. As someone who lives in a Del Webb house, I am grateful to know that my house is built to code.(What can happen when building codes are ignored was dramatically demonstrated today when a structure in Oakland, CA, used by musicians for parties, studios, and living, went up in flames, killing many people (9 confirmed dead as of this writing, estimates reaching 40). The building had no sprinklers, no clear exit path, walls were made of old, dried-out wood, there was a rickety makeshift staircase that trapped people on the second floor, a fire extinguisher didn’t work – the building was clearly in violation of just about everything in the building code and was in fact under investigation. Perhaps the authorities didn’t act sooner out of sympathy with the musicians using the building, who were removed from their usual venues due to gentrification raising prices to levels they couldn’t afford.)So from the beginning we must be willing to suspend disbelief about this central issue. For the rest, this is a deeply meaningful film about the choices open to us as we age. Craig, in his upper 80s, is wonderfully fit, capable of climbing ladders (I’m not quite his age and have been warned by my doctor to eschew step-stools) and building a house from scratch. His wife, Irene, some years younger, is suffering from what appears to be moderate but progressing dementia. He is building this house because their old two-story house is no longer suitable for them and especially for her. He is also building it because he enjoys building.One factor which is somewhat distancing is Craig’s financial resources. He owns 2,000 acres rich with high quality spruce trees suitable for building-quality lumber (that’s what he uses to build his house). I don’t know land values in New Brunswick, Canada, where this film takes place, but surely 2,000 acres is worth a lot of money. He doesn’t want to sell off any of it because – well, just because. He even has a baseball, signed by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, for which he has refused $40,000. In other words, he could surely afford to move to a nice modern single story house right away, rather than taking the time to build one while wasting endless hours fighting with the bureaucrats.In fact, Craig is strongly advised by his friends and his children to sell his property and move into town. At first glance, we might well agree with them. But if we think about it a bit more, we may wonder what he will do in town. He will have no room in an apartment for his power tools – and any lease he signs will surely prohibit the use of such dangerous and noisy equipment. But this is a man accustomed to working with his hands, making things, farming, building. What is he to do now, take up the oboe? Learn Greek poetry? And how will he take care of Irene? There is a scene where she refuses to leave their truck although it is cold – New Brunswick is around 150 miles northeast of Bar Harbor, Maine – and he has to force her inside while she fights him, screams, bites him, and in the end falls and breaks her hip. So, an assisted living facility? Surely that is what such facilities are for, and clearly she needs assistance. But she has made Craig promise that they will never move into an assisted living facility, and he gave that promise. What to do?Indeed, what to do? That is the real issue, not building codes, and this movie explores it in exquisite detail with academy award performances by both leads (I don’t think they were nominated, but they should have been). I won’t give away the ending, but it doesn’t matter, because end it any way you like, your question will still be: how will it end for me? Let’s assume you have enough money, not as much as Craig could have but enough, through Social Security, pensions, and savings, to live on. In other words, you don’t have to work – a good thing too, as jobs are vanishingly scarce for people as they age – so what will you do with your time? If you are a writer, you can keep writing (though your publisher was absorbed into a Dutch conglomerate years ago and nobody there remembers you). If you are a composer, you can keep composing (though the orchestras that played your works went bankrupt). If you are a painter, you can keep painting (though your last gallery show was in 1976). But most people are not writers, composers, or painters; what shall they do when no one will hire them to do anything? All of this is becoming increasingly urgent as people live longer than ever before. When Social Security was passed in the U.S., life expectancy was in the low 60s. Now many men live into their 80s and older, women older still. Most of them do not want to be institutionalized, indeed most of them, at least in the U.S., can’t afford to be institutionalized. Yet many of them need some level of assistance, be it only to change light bulbs, A/C filters, and cleaning the oven; many need more help. But after the necessities are met, what will they, what will I, what will you, do with the time left? That’s what this movie asks. Of course it cannot give a definitive answer, as there is none to give.

I was so deeply drawn into the lives of this couple, I forgot I was watching a movie. Instead, I was standing in the shadows of each room and space they occupied. I felt almost like a Peeping Tom(ette). My urge to stand up in court and fight for Craig was so strong, I had to remember I was only an observer of a movie. The acting didn't seem like acting as it was so natural and easy with just the right amount of frustration, anger, perseverance, a little growing, and love without being overdone. It was perfect.No sweaty revenge sex, no gunfights, no physical violence, just dogged determination and a deep, deep love for each other.Since I was ten years old, I've been an advocate for the elderly, and spent 45 years of my life working in Alzheimer wards and in Hospice. I've seen the full swing of couples dealing with this exact situation; from anger and frustration clear over to total love and devotion.Eons ago, in California, I helped pushed a bill through the legislature making it much harder for Senior Housing Developments, Assisted Living, and even Long Term Care Facilities to turn a senior away because they had a small pet.Due to my strong protective instincts for seniors (and I am one myself now) I wanted to jump right through the screen and give that haughty, too-big-for-his-britches Rick Daigle a good what for! And, I wanted to stand up in court to fully explain to the judge that Craig had actually gone above and beyond the county and state standards. I won't say standards for what so not to give anything away.This movie is incredible only because the story of Craig and Irene is incredible. Craig was undaunted, resilient, at times a bit overwhelmed, but he was fierce in his love and determination to protect and provide for his wife, Irene.The end of this movie truly gripped my heart because the last words my dad and I had were argumentative. He could be a most stubborn man! A mere few hours later, Dad had a fatal heart attack, and a few days later, there I sat at his funeral, unable to take it back. Unable to tell him that I didn't mean anything I said. Unable to tell him that everything in me that was good came from him. Unable to put my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek and say, 'I'm sorry' as I've done with arguments before. Unable to one last time to say, 'I love you, Daddy.' I console myself with the fact that where Daddy is, none of that matters to him now as the only one who's heart hurts is mine. There is no sorrow on earth that Heaven cannot cure, and that's where my dad is. He's in a place of unimaginable beauty and tranquility. And that's what I wanted to share with Craig, to ease his sorrow, his guilt; but again, I had to remember that I was watching a movie, not actually sharing space with Craig and Irene.If your heart is human, if you have compassion, empathy, and touchable feelings, have a tissue at hand.

What's not to like about James Cromwell and Genevieve Bujold in this warm, touching film? If your taste runs more to character-driven films than it does to special effects, you will enjoy "Still Mine".

Lovely , lovely film but sadly the lip-sync was all over the place and it was 'jumpy' in several scenes too. It took ages to arrive and I think I will buy another copy elsewhere as it is a film I will watch over and over.

Excellent service and poignant film

Excellent A+++

Brilliant True story movie.