ReelBob: ‘Ice Cream in the Cupboard’ ★★★½
By Bob Bloom
“Ice Cream in the Cupboard” is an emotionally devastating movie because it deals with the loss of identity and memory.
The movie, based on the book by Pat Moffett and written for the screen by Jarret Rosenblatt and John Rae, traces the impact on the lives of Pat and Carmen Moffett after she is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s.
The movie, directed by Drew Pollins, is more a love story than a clinical drama.
The film opens with Carmen and Pat’s first encounter — a meet-cute at Carmen’s place of work, where Pat, a salesman, is trying to sell his product.
The movie skips ahead 27 years. Pat and Carmen are married, have two grown children and a happy life. Like all marriages, Pat and Carmen have had some bumpy times, which they have overcome.
Pollins slowly reveals incidents offering hints that all is not right with Carmen.
“Ice Cream in the Cupboard,” at 90 minutes, realistically details the confusion and fear the couple are dealing with as they begin to realize that something is wrong with Carmen.
A PETscan and MRI confirm a doctor’s diagnosis of Carmen’s early onset Alzheimer’s.
The movie excels at chronicling the emotional toll of the disease on Carmen and her family.
As the disease progresses, Pat tells the doctor, “It’s like a magic trick, one moment she is there, the next minute she’s gone.”
Carmen’s behavior becomes more erratic — sometimes becoming violent.
The movie is very intimate; you feel the turmoil and helplessness of Carmen and Pat.
What remains a constant throughout is Pat’s dedication to, concern for and — most of all — love for his wife.
He tries to stir her memory — sometimes successfully. These are the fleeting moments that make the movie special. Pat and Carmen fight valiantly to hold onto the special times they had together.
Carmen realizes that the Alzheimer’s is causing them to drift apart — mentally, though not emotionally — and it devastates them.
Pat does what he can to make Carmen feel comfortable, but, as we all know, Alzheimer’s is a fiendish malignancy that ever so slowly erases a person’s life until they can’t recognize their loved ones — or even themselves.
Pollins films a few scenes in which Carmen is sitting in a room staring into a mirror. You really don’t know if she is trying to recognize herself or remember who she is.
Dana Ashbrook gives a touching performance as Pat. At the outset, we see that he has a drinking problem. And as Carmen slowly begins her descent, he thinks her behavior is a response to his alcoholism.
Only as he sees her getting worse, does he realize that Carmen is sick.
Claudia Ferri is heartbreaking as Carmen. She is a bright and intelligent woman, overwhelmed and frightened by what is happening to her.
You want to embrace and comfort her, reassure her that everything will be all right, even though you know that is not true.
“Ice Cream in the Cupboard” — the title comes from an incident when Pat came home from work and found a gallon of ice cream melting over a kitchen counter because Carmen had put it in a cupboard — will touch you deeply.
The movie was very personal for me as both my parents — as well as my father-in-law — suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s in the final years of their lives.
Watching the film is a sobering and painful experience, but its poignancy, compassion and tenderness add a spiritual context that, despite its depressing subject matter, offers a comforting solace that while one person’s memory may fade, the memories of those he or she has touched will keep that individual alive.
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.
ICE CREAM IN THE CUPBOARD
3½ stars out of 4
Not rated, language, violence