Review: 'Onwards and Sideways' Finds Uplift in Parkinson's Love Story
John Madden's film follows two strangers diagnosed with Parkinson's who form a relationship, balancing optimism with the disease's harsh realities. Laura Linney and Rhys Ifans deliver strong performances that ground the gentle narrative. The screenplay draws on Paul Mayhew-Archer's personal experience with Parkinson's.
The film marks the first feature screenplay from Paul Mayhew-Archer, a veteran British television comedy writer whose credits include "The Vicar of Dibley." His advocacy work around Parkinson's disease lends the script firsthand credibility, informing how the narrative handles both the physical and cognitive toll of the condition. Director John Madden, known for character-driven dramas, sets the story in rural England, where the two leads meet as strangers on the same day they receive their diagnoses.
Reviewer Guy Lodge notes the film's gentle tone risks becoming overly sweet, but credits Laura Linney and Rhys Ifans with providing necessary dramatic weight. Their performances ground the story's optimism in believable human emotion, preventing the material from veering into sentimentality. The review positions the film as compassionate yet clear-eyed about the disease's realities.
This film could broaden mainstream awareness of Parkinson's disease beyond clinical descriptions, offering audiences a nuanced portrayal of life with the condition. For the Parkinson's community, a high-profile release featuring respected actors may foster greater visibility and reduce stigma. The involvement of a writer with lived experience could also encourage more authentic disability representation in cinema, potentially influencing how studios approach similar stories.