Away from Her
Fiona and Grant have been married for nearly 50 years. They have to face the fact that Fiona’s absent-mindedness is a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. She must go to a specialized nursing home, where she slowly forgets Grant and turns her affection to Aubrey, another patient in the home.
Despite its small-scale budget of $3.0M, Away from Her became a financial success, earning $9.2M worldwide—a 206% return. The film's unconventional structure engaged audiences, proving that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Away from Her (2007) reveals strategically placed narrative architecture, characteristic of Sarah Polley's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 50 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Fiona Anderson
Grant Anderson
Aubrey
Marian
Main Cast & Characters
Fiona Anderson
Played by Julie Christie
A retired professor diagnosed with Alzheimer's who enters a care facility and forms a bond with another patient.
Grant Anderson
Played by Gordon Pinsent
Fiona's devoted husband who struggles to accept his wife's deteriorating condition and her emotional attachment to another man.
Aubrey
Played by Michael Murphy
A fellow patient at the care facility who becomes emotionally attached to Fiona.
Marian
Played by Olympia Dukakis
Aubrey's bitter and resentful wife who takes care of him at home.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Grant and Fiona ski together through snowy Ontario countryside, a loving couple in their 44th year of marriage, seemingly content in their quiet rural life.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Fiona decisively tells Grant she needs to go to Meadowlake care facility, making the decision herself before he can avoid it. "I want to go before I'm completely gone.".. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Grant drives away from Meadowlake after leaving Fiona there, watching her disappear into the facility. He has actively chosen to let her go, crossing into a world without her daily presence., moving from reaction to action.
At 56 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Grant returns to Meadowlake after 30 days and Fiona doesn't recognize him - she's attached herself to Aubrey, another patient. False defeat: he's lost her completely, much sooner than expected., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 82 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Fiona deteriorates rapidly after Aubrey's departure, withdrawing completely, barely eating. The "whiff of death" - she's fading away, and Grant realizes his visitation means nothing to her anymore., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 88 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Grant persuades Marian to let Aubrey return to Meadowlake, even beginning a tentative connection with her. He arranges Aubrey's return and brings him to Fiona, enacting his sacrifice., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Away from Her's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Away from Her against these established plot points, we can identify how Sarah Polley utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Away from Her within the drama genre.
Sarah Polley's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Sarah Polley films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.1, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Away from Her represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Sarah Polley filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Sarah Polley analyses, see Take This Waltz, Women Talking.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Grant and Fiona ski together through snowy Ontario countryside, a loving couple in their 44th year of marriage, seemingly content in their quiet rural life.
Theme
Fiona remarks about memory and loss while cooking: "You forget you forget" - establishing the theme of memory, identity, and what remains when the mind fails.
Worldbuilding
Establishing Grant and Fiona's marriage, their home, and the gradual revelation of Fiona's memory problems - she forgets words, gets lost, and leaves the stove on. Grant tries to protect her.
Disruption
Fiona decisively tells Grant she needs to go to Meadowlake care facility, making the decision herself before he can avoid it. "I want to go before I'm completely gone."
Resistance
Grant resists the decision, they visit Meadowlake together, he learns about the 30-day no-contact policy. He tries to prepare himself for separation while Fiona remains strangely calm and resolute.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Grant drives away from Meadowlake after leaving Fiona there, watching her disappear into the facility. He has actively chosen to let her go, crossing into a world without her daily presence.
Mirror World
Flashback to young Grant's affair with a student, revealing his past infidelity. This parallel relationship becomes the thematic mirror - his betrayal then versus her "leaving" him now.
Premise
Grant endures the 30-day separation, haunted by memories of their past. The "promise of the premise" - exploring what love means when the beloved no longer remembers you.
Midpoint
Grant returns to Meadowlake after 30 days and Fiona doesn't recognize him - she's attached herself to Aubrey, another patient. False defeat: he's lost her completely, much sooner than expected.
Opposition
Grant visits repeatedly but Fiona remains distant, devoted to Aubrey. Aubrey's family takes him home. Grant struggles with jealousy, guilt over his past affairs, and the realization that he's now experiencing abandonment.
Collapse
Fiona deteriorates rapidly after Aubrey's departure, withdrawing completely, barely eating. The "whiff of death" - she's fading away, and Grant realizes his visitation means nothing to her anymore.
Crisis
Grant sits with his grief and guilt. He contemplates what he owes Fiona after his betrayals. The dark night: understanding that true love might mean sacrificing his own need to be remembered.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Grant persuades Marian to let Aubrey return to Meadowlake, even beginning a tentative connection with her. He arranges Aubrey's return and brings him to Fiona, enacting his sacrifice.