Ruby's Choice

Quietly humorous in its portrayal of a family trying to care for a mother & grandmother who has dementia. Honest, unflinching and sensitive portrayal of a family coming to terms with the changes a dementing illness causes, and the effects on the whole family. Showing the responses of the health system and available community services to a family in need was brutal but accurate.

Jane Seymour was wonderful. The rest of the cast are all excellent and Tash the granddaughter (Coco Gillies) is an absolute delight.

Congratulations to all involved in the writing and making of this movie - beautifully done.

A moving well-written film with great performances from the cast. The dialogue is smart with some of the most authentic Aussie characters I have seen on the screen. The touches of humour strike just the right tone.

Ruby (Jane Seymour) lives alone and is struggling with dementia. Her husband died 5 years ago, but she keeps expecting him to come home. She hasn't kept up with the bills and she almost burns down the house. She is forced to move in with her daughter Sharon (Jacqueline McKenzie). Sharon's husband Doug (Stephen Hunter) fears for his job and their daughter Tash (Coco Jack Gillies) is frustrated to share her room with her grandmother. It doesn't help that her uncle and angry cousin Jack (Sam Rechner) have moved into the crowded home. At school, Jack either ignores Tash or downright bullies her.

This is effective family drama dealing with an aging elder. The actors are great led by veteran Jane Seymour doing some dementia acting. Sometimes, people do too much, but she does fine. If I would make one change, I would eliminate the Pirates from the story. There is just a little too much stuff in the two hours long movie. The climatic scene with the Pirates bullying kinda comes out of nowhere. That scene would work better with Jack's friends. Jack could come in later and deal with the situation. That seems more fitting.

On the 3rd March I was so blessed to be able to go and see the premier of Ruby's Choice, a heartfelt film about an Australian family navigating the challenges of their mother/grandmother's dementia diagnosis. Jane Seymour plays Ruby, a strong, artistic, wise and loving woman who carries herself with such grace you can't help but completely adore her. What I love about this film is that despite her cognitive decline, the true essence of Ruby, her history, her wisdom, her strength is never far from the surface. Whilst her family struggle with the diagnosis and how to adequately support her, the strong and loving relationships, especially between Ruby and her granddaughter Tash (played by the extremely talented Coco Jack Gillies), really shine through and show us that the power of love can overcome the most difficult of life's challenges. This film will touch your heart.

This film provides a good life lesson for many young people. There is something to be gained by being patient and listening to older adults. The fine acting and directing in this film is apparent from beginning to end. Even though we know where the film is going, it is still an enjoyable trip. Michael Budd has a promising future in film. Giles does a fine job as the granddaughter asked to share her room with Jane Seymour (and if she is denied, I would be glad to have her as my roommate). This is fine family entertainment with a brain, so feel free to bring your older children to see it. I finally got some good use out of my free passes. One of the few good films of 2022.