Movies about Alzheimer’s Disease- Mental Health Related Films
Movies that explore, engage, or offer insight into Alzheimer’s disease and the social and psychological issues involved.
Human lives and behaviour are far more nuanced and emotive than any psychiatric diagnostic system or symptom checklist can ever portray.
Most people recognise aspects of themselves in at least a few psychiatric diagnostic categories. The difference between normal and disorder is not straightforward and often has more to do with degree rather than kind, i.e. does it cause big problems?
While movies are not perfect depictions of reality, they often present themes in relatable, enriching, usefully challenging, and thought-provoking ways.
We invite you to explore mental health through movies that raise awareness, open dialogue, present complexity, entertain, and/or normalise experiences.
Click to see the Ultimate List of Mental Health Movies index
What is Neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease?
We all know what it is like to forget things and all of us will experience some cognitive slowing as we pass midlife. Dementia's (like Alzheimer's) are different in that they profoundly affect ones capacity to live a normal life. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by plaques accumulating around brain cells and causing cell death. neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease refers to the cognitive symptoms of this disease, e.g. reduction in memory.
In psychiatry, disorders are diagnosed using a book called the DSM-V (or the ICD-10). This system classifies issues into categories based on observable behaviour. A sample of the criteria for a neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease is included below for interest sake. Please see the DSM-V for the full diagnostic criteria.
DSM-V Diagnostic Criteria of Major or mild neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease
A. The criteria are met for major or mild neurocognitive disorder.
B. There is insidious onset and gradual progression of impairment in one or more cognitive domains (for major neurocognitive disorder, at least two domains must be impaired).
C. Criteria are met for either probable or possible Alzheimer’s disease as follows:
For major neurocognitive disorder:
Probable Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed if either of the following is present; otherwise, possible Alzheimer’s disease should be diagnosed.
1. Evidence of a causative Alzheimer’s disease genetic mutation from family history or genetic testing.
2. All three of the following are present:
a. Clear evidence of decline in memory and learning and at least one other cognitive domain (based on detailed history or serial neuropsychological testing).
b. Steadily progressive, gradual decline in cognition, without extended plateaus.
c. No evidence of mixed etiology (i.e., absence of other neurodegenerative or cerebrovascular disease, or another neurological, mental, or systemic disease or condition likely contributing to cognitive decline).
Criteria for mild neurocognitive disorder and Possible Alzheimer’s disease are omitted.
D. The disturbance is not better explained by cerebrovascular disease, another neurodegenerative disease, the effects of a substance, or another mental, neurological, or systemic disorder.
Movies about Neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease
If we missed an essential film about neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease, please let us know. We would love to include it.
Note: Movies may trigger painful memories and emotions. Please use your judgement and ensure support is available if need be.
Movie Title: Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2014
Rated: 8.2
Cast: Dan Cohen, Louise Dueno, Nell Hardie
Storyline: A documentary that explores the transformative power of music in awakening memories and emotions in individuals with amnesia and other forms of memory loss.
Movie Title: First Cousin Once Removed - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2012
Rated: 7.5
Cast: Eli Berliner, Stuart Blazer, Susan Brown
Storyline: A documentary by Alan Berliner that intimately captures the poignant journey of Edwin Honig, a renowned poet and scholar who grapples with the depths of Alzheimer's disease, offering a deeply personal exploration of memory, identity, and familial bonds.
Movie Title: The Leisure Seeker - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2017
Rated: 6.7
Cast: Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland, Christian McKay
Storyline: Ella and John, an aging couple, embark on a spontaneous road trip in their Winnebago, navigating the complexities of Alzheimer's disease while rediscovering the joys of life and their enduring love for each other.
Movie Title: The Savages - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2007
Rated: 7.1
Cast: Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco
Storyline: Wendy Savage, a struggling playwright, and her brother Jon navigate the challenges of caring for their aging father who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, exploring themes of family, responsibility, and the complexities of love in the face of adversity.
Movie Title: Dementia
Release: 2014
Rated: 5.8
Cast: Nora Aunor, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Bing Loyzaga
Storyline: A woman who has dementia begins to see ghosts of the past.
Movie Title: The Greatest Love (TV Series)
Release: 2016-2017
Rated: 7.6
Cast: Dimples Romana, Matt Evans, Arron Villaflor
Storyline: As Gloria struggles to keep her family together, she starts to show symptoms of dementia. She initially brushes off the symptoms until she is finally diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Movie Title: The Father
Release: 2020
Rated: 8.3
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss
Storyline: An 81-year-old man Anthony suffers from Alzheimer's disease. He refuses all assistance from his daughter and as he tries to make sense of his circumstances, he doubts everything.
Movie Title: A Separation - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2011
Rated: 8.4
Cast: Payman Maadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat
Storyline: An Iranian wife wants to move out of their country in the hope that she can make a better life for her daughter. Her husband refuses to leave Tehran as he wants to take care of his father that is suffering from Alzheimer's.
Movie Title: Black - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2005
Rated: 8.3
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Shernaz Patel
Storyline: The story of a deaf woman and her relationship with her former teacher who lately develops Alzheimer's disease. Her former teacher brings the light into her dark world.
Movie Title: A Moment to Remember (Nae Meorisogui Jiugae) - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2004
Rated: 8.2
Cast: Woo-sung Jung, Ye-jin Son, Jong-hak Baek
Storyline: A young Korean couple's enduring love is tested when Alzheimer's disease strikes the wife.
Movie Title: The Notebook - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2004
Rated: 7.9
Cast: Gena Rowlands, James Garner, Rachel McAdams
Storyline: A story of the unconditional love of a man for his wife who has Alzheimer's disease.
Movie Title: Amour - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2012
Rated: 7.9
Cast: Jean-Loouis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert
Storyline: An octogenarian couple's love is tested when the wife suffers from a stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Her husband is fighting his own weariness to take care of his wife.
Movie Title: Nebraska - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2013
Rated: 7.8
Cast: Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb
Storyline: An ageing father, who may be in the early stages of Alzheimer's, makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son in order to claim what he believes is his sweepstakes prize.
Movie Title: On Golden Pond - Watch now on Prime
Release: 1981
Rated: 7.7
Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda
Storyline: An old couple spends their summer at their vacation home on Golden Pond. Their daughter fixes her estranged relationship with her father. The latter is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.
Movie Title: Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2011
Rated: 7.6
Cast: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto
Storyline: A scientist is experimenting with a drug that he hopes will cure his father's Alzheimer's but he failed. A chimpanzee who was exposed to the drug shows unusual intelligence and becomes a threat to mankind.
Movie Title: Away From Her - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2006
Rated: 7.6
Cast: Julie Christie, Michael Murphy, Gordon Pinsent
Storyline: A couple's marriage is tested when his wife, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, moves into a nursing home and begins to develop a close relationship with a fellow resident.
Movie Title: Wrinkles - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2011
Rated: 7.6
Cast: Tacho González, Àlvaro Guevara, Mabel Rivera
Storyline: A Spanish animated film about the friendship between two elderly men. One of them has early Alzheimer's and the other one is a geriatric con artist who prevents his friend from being transferred to the upper floor.
Movie Title: Still Alice - Click to watch
Release: 2014
Rated: 7.5
Cast: Julianne More, Alec Baldwin Kristen Stewart
Storyline: A linguistics professor at Columbia University faces early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Her children witness her suffering from the disease with each passing day.
Movie Title: Lovely, Still - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2008
Rated: 7.2
Cast: Martin Landau, Ellen Burstyn, Elizabeth Banks
Storyline: A story of an elderly man who finds love with a woman. The film portrays the emotional ups and downs of the old man with Alzheimer's and his family members.
Movie Title: Robot and Frank - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2012
Rated: 7.1
Cast: Peter Sarsgaard, Frank Langella, Susan Saradon
Storyline: A retired burglar, who is in the early stage of Alzheimer's, received a robot from his son to look after him. He falls back into his old life with the robot as his criminal sidekick.
Movie Title: Iris - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2001
Rated: 7.1
Cast: Judi Dench, Jim Bradbent, Kate Winslet
Storyline: The film is about the enduring relationship between John Bayley and his wife British novelist Iris Murdoch, from their student days through Iris' battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Movie Title: The Iron Lady - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2011
Rated: 6.4
Cast: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant
Storyline: The film is about the life of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Some scenes depict her life with Alzheimer's disease.
Movie Title: What They Had - Watch now on Prime
Release: 2018
Rated: 6.6
Cast: Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster
Storyline: Bridget Ertz travels back to her hometown to help her brother convince their father that their mother who has Alzheimer's needs to be put in a nursing home.
References and Links
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
More on neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer’s disease: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/hvcc-abnormalpsychology/chapter/neurocognitive-disorder-due-to-alzheimers-disease/
What is Alzheimer's disease?: https://www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers/article/alzheimers-and-dementia-whats-difference
Alzheimer's disease according to Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alzheimer%27s_disease
Acknowledgements
The above article was written under my close direction and supervision. However, much credit goes to Charlene Poliquit (my right-hand man) and Andri Eigenberger (my beloved aunt) for their huge efforts in bringing this task to life.
Vincenzo Sinisi
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Important:
TherapyRoute does not provide medical advice. All content is for informational purposes and cannot replace consulting a healthcare professional. If you face an emergency, please contact a local emergency service. For immediate emotional support, consider contacting a local helpline.
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