RUBY’S CHOICE

Australia, 2022, 117 minutes, Colour.

Jane Seymour, Jacqueline McKenzie, Coco Jack Gillies, Stephen Hunter, Michael Budd, Nicole Pastor, Brendan Donaghue, Rory Potter, Tim Omaji.

Directed by Michael Budd.

Over the years there have been quite a number of films about the elderly, about the development of senility, about the coming on of dementia and its consequences. This is one of those films.

Ruby is played by Jane Seymour, veteran British actress, so popular on American television. Ruby migrated to Australia in the 1960s with her parents, when she was a teenager. She eventually settled, married, had a daughter, Sharon (veteran Australian actor, Jacqueline McKenzie). However, living by herself, she becomes forgetful, a fire caused by leaving cooking on the stove, needing to move in with her daughter, her son-in-law and granddaughter. And, at the same time, cousins have a crisis and father and son also move into the house, causing crowding, and the granddaughter’s resentment at having to share with her grandmother.

In many ways, the situations are familiar. There is also the awkward background of the husband in danger of losing his job – which eventually he does.

Audiences will have great sympathy with Ruby, driving her car to the library, forgetting it is there and getting the bus home. She goes to the cinema and the ticket seller knows her well and knows that she likes seeing Red Dog, every time she watches it like a first-time. It is clear to the audience that Ruby is in need of some kind of constant care.

Sharon, however, is devoted to her mother and resists the thought of her mother going into aged care, the cliched that these places are terrible.

So, a lot of the film focuses on day-by-day detail in the house, Ruby left at home first with some chores, conscious of having to feed the fish which she does, and does, the fish and dying to her granddaughter’s dismay. Then the granddaughter having to stay home to keep an eye on her grandmother – although, they do go out and enjoy themselves. Then the husband stays home but goes to the unemployment centre, Ruby going to the toilet – and then disappearing, the whole family out to search for her and rescuing her from some bullies mocking her.

By this stage, audiences will be acutely conscious of Ruby’s needs, of Sharon’s reluctance for her going to care, but realising that the family is unable to keep a constant eye on Ruby and, checking with agencies, that they cannot afford this kind of care.

Because the thrust of the film is to highlight care for the aged, it has to have a happy ending, nicely done when the family all visit an aged care home and Ruby finds a friend from the past and is content to be with her.

Some background information from the website: Ruby’s Choice was inspired by writer and producer Paul Mahoney’s work as a disability case manager and was directed by Michael Budd, who was inspired to make the movie after losing his grandma to dementia.

A portion of the movie’s profits will go to Dementia Care International and its charity arm Dementia Foundation for Spark of Life –  from the Glen Family Foundation which contributed to the budget of the film -transforming the lives of people with dementia all across Australia. As the official charity partner for the film, they worked to ensure the story reflected real-life experiences of families dealing with dementia.

In 2022, there were an estimated 487,500 Australians living with dementia, according to researched undertaken by the National Centre For Social And Economic Modelling (NATSEM), University of Canberra.

1. The title, the focus on Ruby, her life, ageing, dementia, aged care crisis, her choice?
2. The Sydney settings, the suburbs, home, grounds, streets, shops, library, cinema, school, offices, aged care homes? The feel of the suburb and suburban life? The musical score?
3. Ruby’s story, migration to Australia, her parents, not settling, meeting Frank, embracing Australia as home, marriage, Sharon, life together? Frank’s death and her not realising it? Waiting for him to come home? The manifestations of her dementia, the fire in the kitchen, going to see Red Dog over and over again, driving to the library, getting the bus home? Chats with her neighbours?
4. Sharon and the family, Doug , mechanic, employment, precarious, eventually losing his job, Tash, age, school? Sharon at work, financial issues? The personalities?
5. The crisis, Ken and Ned coming, the marriage breakup, Ned as a surly teenager? Not wanting to be there? Missing his mother? Strong relationship with his father?
6. Ruby, the fire, Sharon coming, taking Ruby home, dealing with Ruby, her awareness in the present, her waiting for Frank, the dementia setting in? Sharon wanting to care for her mother, not wanting her to go to aged care? The grim perceptions of aged care homes?
7. The day at home, the chores, feeding the fish, overfeeding the fish, leaving the iron on the shirt…? Tash, upset about the fish, letting the bird go free, sharing the room with her grandmother? Their talking together in the room? Sharon asking Tash to stay home and look after her grandmother, the initial reaction, at home, going out together, going to the cinema, seem Red Dog, ice creams, the walk? Tash enjoying it?
8. School, the bullies, the Asian student ‘n is liking Tash? Ned and his teaming up with the bullies? In the bus, humiliations? The Asian student, confronting the bullies, their standing back?
9. Doug caring for Ruby, losing his job, pottering around with all his repairs, being a hoarder? Going to the office, Ruby going to the toilet, the official not noticing, Ruby wandering, the whole family searching, Ruby and her being bullied by the young men? Tash and her intervention, after being coached by Ruby?
10. And the discovery of the information about Sharon, the adoption, going to the library, research? Certificates? The revelation of the truth, the effect on Sharon?
11. The growing dilemmas, Sharon and her going to the aged care people, the discussions, the costs?
12. The realisation that aged care was needed, the whole family going to the home, Ruby seeing her friend from the past, their chatting, comfortable, enabling Ruby to make her decision about staying at the home?
13. A happy ending, for the purpose of the film, a more sympathetic vision of dementia, the need for specialised care, aged care accommodation?