You're Not You (2014)

Simply A Masterpiece

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I didn't know it would be a tear jerker, but it was a very good movie. The actors were great and Hilary did a great portrayal of the illness. It is such a horrible disease, as are others with loss of muscle. That is the reason I agree with assisted death. No one should have to die that way.

Hilary Swank plays a great role in this movie, she truly shows the pain and suffering that someone with ALS faces. Although it is just acting, Swank moves you as she shows a struggling pianist that not only has to face a horrible disease, but faces emotional distress emotionally. As Swank's character becomes more sick, Swank must act more and more sickly, moving slower and speaking slower also. This movie pulls on the heartstrings as the fight between Swank's character and the fight with ALS becomes increasingly difficult. The fact that Swank can accurately represent the disease in the movie allows those that do not understand the disease to see the struggles and issues that those that suffer face every day. I enjoyed this movie because it is a serious drama and it made me feel happy, sad, joyous, and thoughtful all at the same time. It was joyous because Kate is enabled to live her life to the fullest and her caretaker, Bec, gets a new look at life. I would recommend this movie because of the great portrayal of Swank. The only thing that was weird was the character of Evan, portrayed by Josh Duhamel, although his character played an important role... he was only visible for the first 20mins of the movie, then his appearances were weird and misplaced. OVERALL: This movie is great for the portrayal of ALS, and Swank played a great role.

I start liking the movie as it reach into the middle. The movie of course running in a thin flat line, doesn't bring much of emotional intense. The fact I like about the movie is it's depiction of emotional expression. Katie split with her husband the reason of ' tired of been invisible' , Now it may not see as solid reason for such a decision after all cherished caring Evan has provided toward Katie in her condition. In real life such a separation should be really really rare due the emotional priorities but what the movie is dealing with is also a possible expression. To my understanding, it is brave act to move along with such a sliced emotional piece and make a movie. That is the first reason I like about the movie. Acting is great; Hillary, Emmy and Josh fill it what need to be filled. To me the movie is like glass of mild white wine, neither high nor dull, still the wine.

Kate is a woman who has it all -- beautiful, wealthy, a talented pianist, had a loving husband. Bec is a young woman who seemed to have everything going against her -- irresponsible college student, always drunk, sleeps around, a failed musician. But one fateful day, Kate was diagnosed with the debilitating neurologic disease called ALS, which left her progressively helpless with her personal care. When she was choosing her caretaker, Kate saw something in this mess that is Bec. From there, these two women, who are polar opposites of each other, get along, bond and help each other get through their lives. When ALS was mentioned as the diagnosis, you knew then where this film is headed. ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and its devastating consequences has been in the news very much this year because of the viral Ice Bucket Challenge. There will be no surprises what will happen anymore during the course of the story up to the predictable end. However, what will keep you glued to the screen are the performances of the two lead actresses: Hilary Swank as Kate, and Emmy Rossum as Bec. I have not seen Hilary Swank for a long time already since her two Oscar Best Actress wins in the previous decade for "Boys Don't Cry" (1999) and "Million Dollar Baby" (2004). This film is somewhat reminiscent of the second film where she played a female boxer who had a spinal cord injury that made her quadriplegic. Here in "You're Not You," the progress of the neurologic disorder is gradual, so Swank brought us on a torturous tour of how it is like to have your body deteriorate even as your brain remains completely lucid. Her character Kate remains so magnanimous throughout her ordeal, making her character likable and sympathetic even if we do not understand much of what she was saying.I have not seen Emmy Rossum in another role since her breakthrough as the ingenue Christine in the film version of the Broadway musical "The Phantom of the Opera" (2004). Her brash and slovenly character here is so different from the meek, refined Christine in Phantom. This effectively shows the wide range Ms. Rossum has gained over the years.Here we will also see the reaction of different people around them, their parents, the men in their lives, their friends, which kept things interesting. Josh Duhamel plays Kate's controlling husband Evan. Frances Fisher plays Kate's mother, while Ed Begley Jr. plays her favorite uncle. Loreta Devine plays a fellow ALS patient who becomes her friend, while Eddie Hudson plays her supportive husband. Ali Larter and Andrea Savage play her fair-weather friends. On Bec's side, we have Marcia Gay Harden who plays her cold mother. Julian McMahon plays her sleazy professor. Jason Ritter plays a dorky but persistent suitor.This film may be hard to swallow in several parts because of the intensity of the dramatic situations. The psychological reactions of the characters do not seem too typical, which is also good as it gave the material some unexpected surprises. However, the central performances of Swank and Rossum were so effective that empathetic audiences will be moved, maybe even to tears.