Is "Freeheld" this year’s "Still Alice"? The former is the LGBT drama/love story that just played the Toronto International Film Festival (read our review here) starring Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, the latter is the Alzheimer’s tearjerker from last year also starring Moore. Both appear to be sappy and full of schmaltz ("Still Alice" was poor, Rotten Tomatoes reviews from TIFF for "Freeheld" are already rotten). But hey, a treacly, feel-good movie poorly received by critics doesn’t always kill it dead, at least not where awards are concerned. (see Moore’s Oscar win for "Still Alice" last year). Here’s the official synopsis:
READ MORE: Watch: First Clip From ‘Freeheld’ Starring Julianne Moore & Ellen Page
Based on the Oscar®-winning short documentary and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia, Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester [Julianne Moore] and Stacie Andree [Ellen Page] and their fight for justice. A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, conspire to prevent Laurel from doing this. Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells [Michael Shannon], and activist Steven Goldstein [Steve Carell], unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.
