"June Again" is a disaster. JJ Winlove has written and directed a film here that is a slap in the face to the fine sense of storytelling from beginning to end, and is heartily supported by the impossibly bad performances of the actors, who could hardly be more wooden and listless.

The film is about a woman, June (Noni Hazlehurst),you could call her a matriarch, who suffers from dementia after several strokes and has been in a very well-heeled nursing home for 5 years. The opening scenes of the film are clichéd, but still promising. The staging of the dementia in the opening scene is in principle very cleverly done, the scenery still fits and also the whole dementia kitsch, which has been incorporated here from other films, is still bearable. As a viewer, however, you don't linger long in this depressing situation in which the main character ekes out an existence, because the woman quickly comes to her senses again, as it is with Alzheimer's, and escapes from her retirement home. This is also where the only good joke comes into play, as the joke that the doorman makes with the usually very excited June regarding the exit code on the secured door to the nursing home backfires this time. June is not only feeling a bit better, no, she has regained her senses. The naturally energetic woman, who also seems to be physically very fit, because dementia, as we know, has no effect on the physical condition of the people suffering from it, goes off to look for her old life - and from then on it gets really stupid. The first stop is the getaway cab, which she boards without money and also leaves without, because June establishes a connection with the driver in seconds, who waives her expenses. A hint with the fence post, which should make clear to the viewer very quickly what a sympathetic being this tough June is after all. She seeks out her old house, now sold by her children, where another family now lives. Without shame, she invades the house via manipulation of the child who is alone in the house and borrows a designer wardrobe, which of course she never returns. Even here, the poor writing style of the script becomes very apparent. No child would ever behave the way it takes place here, and no human would in truth find it comprehensible or sympathetic what this old woman is doing. She is then picked up by her daughter, who first wants to take her back to the home to inquire further about her health and desire to spend some safe time with her mother until the surge of health fades. Of course, June refuses and the daughter's will is abandoned faster than an infant's confession to the priest. From then on, it's really all about mother June's meddling in her children's lives, her fastidious and pedantic behavioral disorder, and a whole bunch of outrageousness she indulges in. There are, for example, rash judgments, lack of reflection, costing the son his job at the first conscious contact after 5 years and complete disregard for the children's life choices. The problem is that the script and direction seem to have intended that the character be marked as sympathetic and strong in this way, while just watching it should make the anger rise up in one at such a bossy and arrogant woman. The equal treatment of the sick does not mean that everything they do is perfectly okay and acceptable. Further underpinning all this are flat jokes that hurt to watch, pathetic slapstick interludes and, of course, the half-hearted reuniting of the family in June's glorious, all-surpassing light and her infinite wisdom. She half-heartedly acknowledges a mistake here and there, but a coherent narrative for character development simply doesn't happen in this film. The finale shows what the makers were going for here: Quite a lot of tearjerking, on old familiar things in even worse packaging and on blind solidarity with Alzheimer's patients.

The built-in love story joins the countless side stories and aberrations of this film. Anemic and pale is too kind a word for this, but to label the resolution as predictable fits like a glove.

"June Again" is a facetless story with a script that doesn't deserve the name, a loveless production and bad actors whose conversations all seem as if they were out of this world. An incredibly embarrassing misadventure that should be avoided at all costs.

Probably Noni Hazlehurst's strongest performance ever. She really carried the film. She managed to balance both tender moments, with laugh-out-loud ones, all the while portraying dementia in an authentic, raw manner.

It was impossible not to think of my dear grandmother, who sadly passed from dementia years ago. In fact, June Again will probably draw parallels to The Father in its accurate and effective portrayal of dementia.

Stephen Curry and Claudia Karvan shared excellent chemistry with Noni. I enjoyed a brief appearance from Steve Le Marquand too.

I was engaged with this movie throughout and it really tugged at the heartstrings. June Again truly manages to effortlessly tick many boxes and is distinctively Australian at the same time. It's a beautiful story, that manages a few gentle twists and turns, while wrapping things up nicely.

I'm glad I made the time to sit down and watch this with my Mum. Can't help thinking this is quite the hidden gem and that more people should check it out!

2021 has certainly seen its fair share of feature films about dementia. The brilliantly staged 'The Father', the intimately moving 'Supernova'; the yet to be released Australian movie 'Ruby's Choice' and the title reviewed here: 'June Again' starring Aussie acting legend Noni Hazelhurst.

With quite the mix of tonal shifts through its duration, 'June Again' also stretches believability and does cut corners at times, but its heart is absolutely in the right place and it gives Noni her best role in decades. I gather that the Writer/Director JJ. Winlove did research into the subject matter, and a short term respite from the ravages of dementia can occur in certain cases, but as the device used here to explore family and estrangement within relationships, it felt a little at odds with the veering from gravitas to comedic sequences and be tackling dementia.

'June Again' is made most enjoyable by the leading lady and Noni Hazelhurst gives a tour de force in the title role and reaffirms why she is a national treasure. Having won a pair of AFI awards for Leading Actress in the 1980's, this film gives her the opportunity to reach into her acting toolkit and creates a wonderfully vivid and inimitable figure; one that is sure to earn the showbiz veteran another prize.

Claudia Karvan and Stephen Curry give wonderful supporting turns as 'June's' offspring and both have some terrific scenes with the star as well as with one another. Notwithstanding some of my concerns about the construct of the movie, there is much to relate to in the family dynamics. Curry is especially good here.

There are some brilliantly written and directed sequences that effectively convey what must be the indescribable experience of losing one's cognitive functions. Having marveled at Anthony Hopkins in 'The Father', Noni Hazelhurst also gives a master class in facial and vocal expression to depict the tyranny of dementia. For this, the movie excels.

So a mixed bag for me, tonally, but there is no denying the cogency of the performances by the central trio, and the fact that the condition is so pervasive in contemporary life, stories like 'June Again' even with some credulity issues, are essential viewing.