​FILMS

freeheld

2015 review number 166:

Freeheld: (Drama): 69 out of 100: Julianne Moore finally won an Oscar earlier this year for her exemplary performance as an Alzheimer's sufferer in Still Alice. She represents the dying again, this time as a terminal cancer patient who challenges the system where gay rights are not recognised by her community. Freeheld is dominated by three superb acting performances by Julianne Moore, Ellen Page and Michael Shannon around a story that is capably told especially when the illness kicks in, but doesn't reach any great heights.

 

Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) is a New Jersey police lieutenant who is held in high regard by her colleagues. She refuses to disclose her sexuality for this would impact on her standing in the community. When she meets Stacie Andree (Ellen Page) at a volleyball game that they are participating in, they begin a relationship that Laurel doesn't initially acknowledge to her colleagues including her police officer partner, Dane Wells (Michael Shannon). When she is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she wants her pension benefits to be given to Stacie but the five county officials otherwise known as Freeholders, prevent her from doing this. Only one Freeholder, Bryan Kelder (Josh Charles) is sympathetic to her requests but his colleagues refuse to budge on their stance that the pension benefits should not be given to a partner of the same sex. Dane and gay rights activist Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell) unite in Laurel's defence to support her struggle for equality.

 

Moore is a terrific actress and showcases her talents in a role that suits her perfectly as she can exhibit her dramatic prowess. She shares some touching, heartfelt scenes with Page who deserves any plaudits that come her way. Shannon shows that he isn't a simply a tough guy that he is renowned for in many of his previous films. You can feel his anguish when he cannot rally his colleagues to support his friend's cause. Carell's performance injects humour into the story but it becomes a bit of a sideshow and distraction with him leading the protests inside the 'courtroom'. 

 

The scenes showing Laurel in her duties as a police officer are superfluous. They are mainly there to provide viewers with a bit of a back story as to why she is highly regarded in her community. Another fault with the story lies in the development of the relationship between Laurel and Stacie as it seems to happen too quickly. The crux of the story however lies in the fight for justice and it is this which engages the viewer.

 

Based on a true story, a documentary short of the same title featuring the real life protagonists and their struggles was made in 2007. It would be interesting to see how this movie compares with the documentary and how many scenes have been fictionalised in this movie for dramatic purposes. Whatever the case may be, Freeheld is an interesting and thought-provoking drama which will appeal to Julianne Moore fans and those who are partial to disease-themed movies.

 

Starring Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon and Steve Carell

(103 minutes)

Parental advice: Coarse language and adult themes

Additional scene during or after credits: No

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAhut-kbmhU (Movie trailer)

(Reviewed on Thursday 29th October, 2015)

 

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