It seems “Fiona” (Julie Christie) is aware of the situation when she struggles to remember what's in a bottle while serving drinks to her guests. Her husband "Grant" (Gordon Pinsent) finds himself facing an unsettling future as they both acknowledge that she requires professional assistance instead of remaining in their beautiful, but unsuitable, winter home. A significant restriction during her initial period is the inability to receive visitors, and although she manages this somewhat better than he does, he's having difficulty adjusting after 45 years together. He perseveres, though, looking forward to when he can see her again. However, his visit to the facility doesn’t unfold as expected; he finds her playing bridge with a new acquaintance "Aubrey" (Michael Murphy). She is pleasant enough, but it's evident that she struggles to recognize him within her life. What follows involves his gentle attempts to reconnect while she continues on with her new friend and a gradually declining existence. Simultaneously, he encounters “Marian” (Olympia Dukakis), who is married to "Aubrey" and facing a similar predicament – largely unrecognized by the man she has loved for many years. Without diminishing their existing connections, they discover comfort in each other's company and begin to realize that they too have lives to live, albeit under a cloud of sadness. Christie delivers a poignant performance here, but it’s Pinsent who carries the greater burden as his character progressively loses all familiar references from his adult life: his closest friend, his partner – yet she remains present before him, pleasant and polite. Dukakis is an excellent supporting actress, bringing to her role a sense of sadness and restraint as the inevitable becomes increasingly clear. The script explores a difficult subject without resorting to sentimentality, introducing some elements of scientific uncertainty—an imprecise and evolving set of ideas—and making its point with just a touch of hope for those left to repeatedly deal with worsening days. Despite what the doctor says about communal care and living arrangements, I couldn't help but wonder if these facilities are more restrictive than helpful, which is a credit to the cheerful residents and a direction that treats us as observers who might one day find this experience relatable. It’s an emotionally challenging film, but ultimately rewarding.

Source on TMDB