New Showbiz

You are here:
Never Steady, Never Still

Never Steady, Never Still

2017

Director

Kathleen Hepburn

Runtime

110 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

A mother struggles to take control of her life in the face of advanced Parkinson's disease, while her son battles his sexual and emotional identity amongst the violence of Alberta's oil field work camps.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.6/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film explores a protagonist's struggle with sexual and emotional identity. While it avoids overt tropes, the lack of explicit queer relationships keeps the representation in a moderate range.

Gender Representation

Good

The narrative disrupts traditional hierarchies by centering female agency and complex maternal bonds. It subverts the 'competent matriarch' trope by showing a mother navigating the debilitating effects of Parkinson's.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Limited

The film utilizes a primarily homogeneous cast within a localized socioeconomic setting. It does not actively engage with intersectional racial dynamics or diverse demographics.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The story deconstructs traditional Western domestic ideals by presenting the family as a source of instability. It uses a framework of moral relativism regarding the mother's illness.

Disability Representation

Good

The film provides a meaningful portrayal of Parkinson's disease. It avoids 'inspiration porn,' focusing instead on the realistic, burdensome implications of chronic illness on patients and caregivers.

Strengths

  • Provides a realistic, non-sentimental portrayal of Parkinson's disease and its impact on caregivers.
  • Subverts traditional gender roles by depicting a mother navigating neurological decline rather than acting as a stable authority.
  • Offers a sophisticated deconstruction of the idealized Western family structure through a lens of moral relativism.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks racial and ethnic diversity, utilizing a primarily homogeneous cast.
  • Could provide more explicit representation of established LGBTQ+ relationships to deepen identity exploration.
  • The narrow demographic focus limits the film's engagement with intersectional social dynamics.

AI Analysis

Never Steady, Never Still is a character-driven drama that excels in its nuanced handling of neurodegenerative disease and the subversion of maternal archetypes. By focusing on the lived experience of Parkinson's, the film grants the condition significant agency without resorting to sentimental tropes. However, the film's impact is limited by a lack of racial and ethnic diversity. The homogeneous cast and focus on a specific, localized setting result in a narrow demographic scope that misses opportunities for intersectional storytelling. While the exploration of identity offers a glimpse into non-traditional paths, the absence of explicit LGBTQ+ depictions prevents a higher score in that category. Ultimately, the film is a sophisticated study of instability and identity.

How are these scores produced? →

Similar Movies

Movie poster for Tomorrow and Thereafter

Tomorrow and Thereafter

2017

No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 6.0 out of 10

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.