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I didn't know anything going in about this movie. I had watched a scary movie that wasn't very good, and chose this to see something different. I was really taken aback at how incredible this movie was. Hillary as a very ill woman was amazing. The gradual decline in her character's health was subtle and SO believable. Heart breaking. Emmy had a wonderful chemistry with Hillary in their roles and it pulled you in. Josh Duhamel was believable in the role of Hillary's husband and him having a difficult time being there throughout the illness was understandable, but written/played without the audience being set up to hate him. Yes, it is a tear jerker, and yes it has women leads, but this made it even more wonderful, to the haters out there. Please take the time to watch this wonderful film.

¤¤¤ SPOILERS¤¤¤ You get caught in the movie from the start. Swank does an amazing performance as Kate, and I totally adore Rossum as Bec - at times I caught myself seeing her as Fiona -her character in Shameless. Their relationship grows with the movie, and it's very touching to see how Kate, even though her illness is getting worse, is finding joy, new friends and laughter. Throughout the movie I was half laughing and at times with tears in my eyes. OK , fair enough I usually get emotional in these kinds of movies - Like for example P.S I Love You , you know from the start what's about to happen and your sad, and happy and actually " feel good" at times - so this one wasn't any different in that sense, well I cried a lot more in this one ;) Don't miss out the song on the end, listen to the lyrics, it's so sweet and sad.

With all the suspended disbelief I could muster I couldn't believe anyone in this movie had ALS. The only thing needed to get hs to talk like that was have a pebble under get tongue and talk s l o w l y. Actors do it all the time. This movie was 100 percent pc certified in Hollywood so the lighter the skin of the actors the more boorish their behaviors (Ali Larter and the two mothers). The darker the skin the more noble though it does get three stars for mixed races eating meals and suffering together in the same movie. Having Hillary and Rossum coming from different backgrounds was totally pointless since Hillary couldn't rise enough to get down and dirty and really enjoy herself the first time in her life. You've seen this movie a thousand times before. Don't waste your money.

Here's the story in a nutshell - (apologies to all those reviewers who were so emotionally moved by this movie) - Kate is married to Evan, both are young, beautiful, wealthy, and live in a designer house. All their friends are young, beautiful, and wealthy! Kate lives a posh life. Reality strikes when she is diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease). Her husband, Evan, steps up to the demands of caring for a person who is physically deteriorating and is very protective of her. In turn Kate becomes a whining brat and basically does everything to alienate her husband. Enter Bec - an impulsive girl who's life is built around bars, booze, and picking up men. Bec interviews to be Kate's new caregiver as Kate has chased all the others away with her 'attitude'. Kate offers something needed in Bec's directionless life and Bec brings a sense of life into Kate's failing existence. At this point in the story you can guess what happens next - Evan has an affair, Kate & Bec become fine friends. Now the twist, Evan is still very much in love with Kate but Kate pushes him away. She says she wants him to have his freedom to live his life and experience his youth, but he professes that's not the case because he wants her. The affair was a mistake he is very ashamed of and begs her forgiveness. Kate sends him on his way! Eventually Kate wants Bec out of her life also, because Kate feels her physical demands are a huge burden to Bec. The bitch Kate fails to realize Bec's job is caring for her! There's an assortment of other characters in brief roles. The most important brief character is Marilyn, who also suffers ALS. Marilyn is everything positive and Kate fails to see this and holds on to her negativity! That is Kates down fall. Kate is only thinking about herself from the start of the story to the finish. This movie is NOT about Kate it is about Bec! Bec learns about giving and loving and letting Wil (the guy who loves her) into her life through her caring for Kate. By the time Kate chokes to death you are so glad because everybody else around her can get on with their lives. Actually this is a fairly good movie with good script & acting. The faults are found in some of the over done Kate scenes and Bec, the most important character, is forever forced into the background. And it's about 20 minutes too long!

Oscar Bait from Hilary Swank who clearly wishes to add to the two Best Actress Oscars she already has. She plays Kate a classical pianist diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. ALS. She takes on Bec (Emmy Rossum) as a carer who lacks experience as a carer, an unreliable college student who spends too much time in bars and has awful timekeeping. Bec and Kate have a fractious relationship but they also rely on each other especially when Kate throws out her husband (Josh Duhamel) when she discovers that he had a brief affair but it is really because she does not want her illness to hold him back. The film is well acted with Duhamel playing the rather snooty but dutiful husband who has made a lapse in judgment. Swank gives a tour de force but it is really Rossum the film should focus on and with her traumas. Her drinking, unreliability, inability to hold relationships and nervousness to perform music in public. I expected the film would have a thread where Kate the classical pianist would encourage Bec's musical abilities. Instead the film takes on other strands and too many of them so we have later on various parents coming on to the scene and the film gets lost. The film lacked a stronger story and instead goes for movie of the week sentimentality and mawkishness.