A Poignant Exploration of Memory

Read Time:4 Minute, 34 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Grey Matter
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Genre: Drama
Year Released: 2023, 2025
Runtime: 1h 35m
Director(s): Arabella Burfitt-Dons
Writer(s): Elizabeth Hrib
Cast: Eloise Smyth, Stephanie Beacham, Paul Brennen, Kierston Wareing, Harry Kirton, Elizabeth Berrington, Sunetra Sarker, Brooke Burfitt, Nigel Boyle, Simon Ellis, Zoë Clayton-Kelly
Where To Watch: UK digital release on March 10, 2025

RAVING REVIEW: GREY MATTER takes a deeply personal subject and crafts an intimate and far-reaching story. It reminds us how illness doesn’t just affect one person but sends ripples through friends and family. With a mix of warmth and heartbreak, this film takes an unfiltered look at the weight of responsibility, love, and loss.

Chloe is at the heart of the film, played with vulnerability by Eloise Smyth. She’s an ordinary teenager facing personal struggles—dropping out of the swim team and losing her job—when her world shifts dramatically. Her grandmother, Peg, played by Stephanie Beacham, is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and with her mother overwhelmed by work, Chloe is thrust into the role of caregiver. This reluctant arrangement sets the stage for a story filled with frustration, tenderness, and transformation.

Smyth embodies Chloe’s internal conflict, conveying her resistance to this new responsibility and her deep love for her grandmother. Her performance shines in the small, quiet moments where body language speaks louder than words. On the other hand, Beacham delivers a deeply emotional performance as Peg, navigating the shifting tides of memory loss with a balance of strength and fragility. How she portrays Peg’s fleeting moments of clarity adds a level of accuracy that makes her journey even more heartbreaking. Their chemistry is the emotional foundation of the film, ensuring that even in its weaker moments, the story remains compelling.

The film embraces its intimate subject matter with cinematography, enhancing the story's emotion. The contrast between cozy, enclosed spaces and wider, more open landscapes is a visual metaphor for Chloe’s conflicting emotions—trapped by responsibility and discovering unexpected freedom in her new role. The lighting choices, in particular, highlight the shifting moods, making certain scenes feel even more impactful.

One of the more endearing aspects of the film is the "bucket list" Chloe and Peg create together, an attempt to reclaim control over time slipping away. This aspect adds warmth to an otherwise heavy narrative, creating small moments of joy amidst the inevitable heartbreak. Their adventures reinforce the message that life isn’t measured solely by the memories we keep but by our shared experiences.

While adding layers to Chloe’s life outside of caregiving is a strong narrative choice, some of these storylines feel underdeveloped or unnecessary. A romantic subplot is introduced but never fully explored, and certain conflicts—such as Chloe’s struggle with her mother—feel resolved too easily or left hanging.

That said, the supporting cast adds additional importance to the story. Elizabeth Berrington, playing Chloe’s mother, effectively captures the stress and emotional exhaustion of balancing work, family, and caring for a parent. Her performance highlights an often-overlooked aspect of Alzheimer’s stories—the strain it places on an entire household, not just the person experiencing it firsthand.

Director Arabella Burfitt-Dons approaches the subject with a clear sensitivity to its weight, balancing the emotional heaviness with moments of levity. While the storytelling occasionally stumbles, her ability to capture the unspoken moments between characters keeps the film engaging. The film takes its time developing character dynamics but occasionally lingers too long on certain beats while rushing others.

GREY MATTER also serves as a broader commentary on caregiving, particularly for young people in unexpected roles. The financial and emotional burdens, the unpredictability, and the toll on relationships are all present, making the film resonate with anyone who has faced similar struggles.

GREY MATTER succeeds in crafting a story that feels personal and, at times, painfully real. It doesn’t sugarcoat the caregiving experience or wallow in hopelessness. Instead, it finds a balance, acknowledging the difficulties while celebrating the love that makes those struggles worthwhile.

Ultimately, GREY MATTER is a touching, if occasionally uneven, exploration of love, loss, and the resilience it takes to care for someone slipping away. It may not be perfect, but its sincerity and heartfelt performances make it a film worth watching.

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[photo courtesy of MIRACLE MEDIA]

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