A Song for Martin (2001)

Fantastic!

Absolutely the worst movie.

Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

This movie is just average and unremarkable... it reminded me of a made for TV drama about Alzheimers disease. The acting (or more likely direction of actors) is also average.The story however is very compelling--a talented music composer reduced to nothing by this dreadful disease. It would really resonate to people who have dealt with Alzheimer disease. It is a dramatic topic but this movie doesn't exploit it--pity.My only problem with this film is I try to find something a cut above TV fare. As another reviewer said it contains no gems or twists or surprises that might have made it interesting. You can sort of get a glimpse of the director/writers stock values by what they view as completely shocking: a man urinating in public. So what?That it was nominated for a Swedish Oscar is beyond belief.Don't recommend.

First I want to say I never heard of this movie before unless it was in the cable listings. The title made it seem like a children's movie. So I was never really interested. Well I got blindsided one morning. I woke up and the party scene in the beginning was going on. Right before she goes to bed with Martin for the first time. I was drawn to the movie because it wasn't your usual twenty-somethings but a middle age couple. I did not know he was not her husband until she broke the news to her children that she was getting a divorce. I am interested now. But I had not a inkling about what was to come. I love the scenes on their honeymoon and I said to myself this is a pretty god movie about finding love at a older age. If it was a American movie this would never have happened, BUT if it is a American movie something has to happen. We are so sanctimonious with our movies so they have to be punished. Well something did happen.I love this movie because it doesn't gloss over how bad it is to take care of a sick person. And how devastating a illness can be. Even though Martin had Alzheimer I feel his illness represented anyone who has to deal with a catastrophic illness and the caretakers, people who usually love them the most. How many people do I know including me who have taken care of a sick loved one who can identify with the woman in this movie. People are afraid to say how angry they could get or mad with the person they are helping. This movie shows her frustration and anger. The little scene in which she tells Martin that they canceled his show was great. God I knew she was lying. She was angry and that is how she showed it. She never abused him but she abused herself. How many care takers have I known end up sicker then the person they are caring for? Or died. More then a few. My grandfather for one. Thankfully in the country the movie takes place in they have places for people to go to to get a rest and health-care is free. In the United States we not only have to worry about the persons illness we have to worry about what happens if they have to go in a home. Not only because of the sub par care but because if you do not have a lot of money the care is horrendous. How refreshing to see that problem was not something she have to worry about. In this movie they deal strictly with the emotional side of a illness and how it affects the person who loves them the most. And it is done well. How the wife wanted to make life as normal for him as possible knowing that it was really fruitless. How she wanted to keep him home as long as she could. How it affects the children and friends. The scene where the best friend slips out of the concert hall was so realistic. People seem to disappear when their "friends" get sick. I am also glad it was not a long drawn out movie. They got right to the chase. The to leads were excellent. On a sad note I read that the female lead actually died right after making this movie and she had evidentially lived with the male lead and he was there with her when she died. How sad.

I guess I am a late comer to this wonderful movie. But the typical Scandinavian style of weaving a story really impressed me about this movie. Even more so was the fact that I read about Viveka in real life dying in the arms of her long-time companion, Sven Wolter, the protagonist in the movie. The true love that remains bright even under such dire circumstances that mirrored real life was indeed a beauty to watch. Perhaps as a latecomer I could appreciate life imitating art imitating life scenario. One could see Viveka's face brighten up even when she got a little bit of recognition from Sven's Alzheimer-ridden character. Yes, indeed, Alzheimer, is a terrible disease, robbing the person of his least vestige. But what the film makes clear is that the care giver's life is even more stripped and laid bare. Great movie.

This is not a "public gratification" movie - don't watch it if you must have a happy ending. Also, it's subtitled (the subtitles were large and easy to read, yet did not detract from the film).It is a powerful and moving story of a woman, a talented violinist, dealing with Alzheimer's disease as she watches it ravage her husband, a renowned composer. It details her journey from having a fully functioning, healthy, loving husband, to the hard reality of taking care of him as he gets worse and worse. There are heart-wrenching scenes as he declines and his disease takes over his brain. As his wife, she is determined to keep him home as long as she can, but as he knows her less and less, it becomes impossible. We watch as the transformation takes place in her: From loving wife, to care-taker, to nurse-mother, and eventually to accepting the inevitable. It's amazing to watch how she adapts to each stage, and it is done incredibly well.I was completely engrossed in this film from the moment I started watching it. I found it beautifully done. It is worth watching.