Product: Losing Chase [VHS] (1996)
Rating: 4.0
wife, mother, lover or self?
This is a thinking woman's type movie. For this concerns one that has reached a certain age, a certain stature, 'happily' married with a child and then the dawning (and daunting) realization that her life is a hollow shell. Self expression without self, an artist barely passed a failed suicide riddled with doubt now neither a wife or a mother. Then there is an awakening back to herself - an epiphany of who she is and who she wants. But at what cost?Helen Mirren plays this role like a suit of clothing, her sheer ability to progress from a drugged automaton to the self aware woman that 'what she has is not enough'. The supporting cast of Kyra Sedgwick as the nanny/nurse and Beau Bridges as the trying to comprehend husband are also excellent. Without revealing the plot the interaction of the three actors is superb.The plotline is totally believable and realistic - there are no true villains here (or heroes) just everyday people trying to cope with life situations that are almost more then they can handle. I felt empathy with each of the characters, their actions and reactions were totally understandable within the framework of the film.So, bottom line, this is a good movie but it is definitely character driven. Personal awareness and growth are themes that resonant to all.