Harold & Mary

A heartbreaking story about an elderly man suffering from a mental disorder.

Based on true events, this short drama focuses on an elderly couple, Harold (Crowley) and Mary (Logan), who have lived through a long, happy marriage together and are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Tragically, things have now changed due to Harold's mental illness and it is having devastating effects on those who love him. Finally, his family decides that the best solution would be to place him in a care home.

The narrative offers a dramatic insight into the effects that dementia has on people and what it is like living with a person who suffers from that kind of illness. The disease has significantly damaged Harold, making him antisocial and isolated. Although he still gets to enjoy life, he has trouble remembering, falsely recognises people and events and tends to get angry. Meanwhile, Mary finds it harder and harder to cope with her husband's mental decline and their children Liz (Rice) and Marcus (Dawes) are also very concerned about him. The main focus is the relationship between Harold and Mary and the screenplay reveals that they have lived a happy life together and it is gradually coming to an end due to Harold's terrible misfortune.

This film gains a lot from the acting. Crowley delivers a brilliant and emotional performance as a person who is suffering from dementia. Logan is equally great in her role as his wife who cares deeply for him and is devastatingly saddened seeing him disintegrate.

As the director of photography, Gareth Munden develops wonderful cinematography and the music by Blair Mowat is melancholic and beautiful.

This film is a hard-hitting look into how mental disorders such as dementia affect a person and those around them. It is a tragic story, however it is one that also reveals the joy of having happy memories and the importance of having supportive loved ones.