The Roads Not Taken

The Road Not Taken: A day in the life of Leo (Javier Bardem) who is suffering from dementia. As his daughter Molly (Elle Fanning) brings him to various medical appointments he tries to escape from a taxi and ends up in hospital but is soon released to inflict yet more mayhem on Molly. In his head he is experiencing differing scenarios where he was abandoned by his first love, Dolores (Salma Hayek) but might have gotten her to stay; in another he is on a Greek island. These visions morph together eventually, even though they take place decades in the past, his age remains the same.An interesting exploration of what dementia entails, not just for the sufferer but also their loved ones. Molly is fiercely defensive of Leo, feeling that he is being denied agency, his ex-wife Rita (Laura Linney) is more cynical. Some disturbing scenes but the film also shows how confused people, especially those who appear to be immigrants, can fall foul of the law. Good performances all round and writer/director Sally Potter delivers a moving tale of love, loss and what might have been. 7/10.

Sadly, three errors undermine the reality of this film which otherwise had great pathos.The first glaring error was when the opthalmologist became frustrated with Bardem who understandably because of his condition/illness could not understand or take instruction as a normal person, the error being that his daughter clearly did not explain before the exam that her father had dementia as shown by the opthalmologist asking her if her father was 'all there'. How could a caring person (the daughter) not warn anyone dealing with a parent with dementia be so unthinking as to not do this? The second error is a repeat of this, when in the clothes warehouse the security guard tackles Bardem to the floor and all the daughter can say is 'my father is confused'. That doesn't help her father or those dealing with his unusual behaviour--anyone with a bit of sense would make it abundantly clear that Bardem was suffering from dementia, so that others would then treat him more sensitively. The third error concerns the daughter repeatedly excusing herself from an important meeting at her work which involved an important project she had undertaken. It seems that because she didn't make it into work that day, someone else or their work was chosen above her(s). At no point does she explain the truth about why she couldn't get into work ie that she was having to deal with her very ill father; instead she gave mumbled, ineffectual excuses which most likely sounded very lame to her boss or whoever was calling her from her work. Why the hell wouldn't she convey the gravity of her situation when she might then get some understanding and sympathy from her workplace? These are clearly errors in the script, odd that neither the director nor anyone else picked up on them. For em there were jarring, unrealistic moments in the film which accordingly undermined its plausibility.

The story gives a face to dementia, a terrible illness. Here, we see Leo lost in his remembrances of the past in seemingly disjointed episodes. At one point, in his present, he says to Molly: wherever I go, I am there. This might be trite to a normal person but so profound to a man who's on the path of losing his mind. This is tragic because memories are one's truest treasures. What would our lives amount to without them to soothe us and talk to us.

The story also focuses on the indispensable role of the caregiver, preferably a close kin who patiently tries to see the world in the eyes of a beloved suffering from dementia. Elle Fanning portrays this role admirably without doubt.

Javier Bardem is such a versatile actor that not one scene in this movie is wasted. Selma Hayek provides a counterpoint playing a role at at time when Leo was a lot younger full of fire in his belly. She was the calming presence in younger Leo's troubled life.

This is a great work of writer/director Sally Potter. She's able to present the story in an understated albeit powerful way. We take notice.

Contrary to many negative reviews published by various critics of world renown, watching Sally Potter's latest feature "The Roads Not Taken", with its name borrowed from a Robert Frost poem of relevant nature, struck me deep to my soul's core. As a person currently dealing with and witnessing a loved one go through dementia, I daresay this portrayal of a life fallen apart and the performances delivered by the actors could not have been more realistic and convincing.

Javier Bardem gives a terrific performance of a dementia patient, and Elle Fanning is really good as a daughter trying super hard to cope. It is a heart wrenching story, but the diversions are just very distracting. The subplot with Selma Hayek is just very confusing, I don't even know if it is a flashback or an alternate reality in the man's mind. Then the scenes involving the sea are confusing, and out of place as well. I don't really understand these parallel subplots.