June Again Movie Review (2022)

While we are all looking for little miracles here and there, this film about a woman’s hours of clarity while dealing with dementia did not hit the way I was hoping.

Dementia is a topic that many of us have been touched by. We have loved ones and family friends whose loved ones are managing different stages, and some whose residence in a home is for their own safety. So when I stumbled upon this film about a woman with dementia, I was interested.

June Again is about a sixty-something year old woman who lives in a home for people with dementia. The doors are locked and residents have their own rooms, decorated with their items. They appear free to walk around and visit with whom they choose. One day, without warning, June wakes up completely cognizant, able to fully fill out a crossword puzzle, and remembers her entire family.

Over the course of the movie, June leaves the home, finds (steals?) some new threads from the home that she used to live in (which has since been sold), reconnects with her children and grandchildren, remembers an old flame, and does what she can (with all of her former business connections and vigor) to save the family company.

In theory, this film should be interesting, engaging, and charming. To me, it felt like an after-school-special about a woman who met with a fairy godmother to get a handful of hours back in order to set everything (and everyone) straight.

I wanted to like this movie. I found the topic appealing, the beginning was engaging, and then everything became a single monotonous tone that never changed until a little lift in energy at the very end. It felt predictable and hollow.

With a small nod to The Father (whether intentional or not), the first 7 minutes and last 5 minutes of the film were the most interesting. Dementia is a disease that we hear about a lot, but isn’t covered extensively and in detail in many movies. This was addressed well, but it wasn’t enough.

Since watching, I see that June Again it is defined as a comedy. I can only assume that comes from the attitude that June suddenly has back, but I did not laugh, cry, or have any emotions during this experience. I would only define it as a comedy because maybe it couldn’t be defined as anything else.

There is nothing specifically wrong with this movie. The actors are fine, the topic is well- (and constantly) covered, and the script isn’t particularly cringe-worthy, but there is also nothing special about it. Which is a bummer because with a little more appropriately timed/chosen music, cinematography, and general spark, it could have been more.

Runtime: 98 minutes

Motion Picture Rating: Not Rated

Languages Spoken In The Film: English

Should You Watch It? Yes if the topic appeals to you, otherwise pass

Did I Cry? Not even a little bit

My Rating: 2.25/5 Stars

Available: For free on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms