As I get older there are less things and less times I say I hate something. As a kid there were fights I had with other kids where I would say I hate them. These days I cannot imagine ever saying that to another human being. My eating habits were a big challenge for my parents when I was a child, though I still am considered a picky eater by everyone who knows me. When I was younger I would never eat tuna or broccoli; I thought they were disgusting. It wasn’t until years later that I started introducing these items back into my diet. The reason for this was due to all the articles I was reading about how good they were for you. I have come to terms with them and do not even remember how much I hated them. Hate is such a strong word that can be fueled by judgements. There are so many things that were in my hate column that now I may say, “I am uncomfortable with it or it is not to my tastes.” I think one of the most important lessons I learned was realizing I do not have to accept anything just respect it. It is like the time I was out on a date and they ordered oysters. When the appetizer came to the table I took one look at the oysters and said it looked like snot from a runny nose. It sort of killed the mood. Who was I to judge and make such a statement? And yet I see so many people making judgements against other people.    WHEN New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester, played by Julianne Moore (Seventh Son, Carrie), discovered she had cancer; she wanted her pension to go to her partner Stacie Andree, played by Ellen Page (Inception, The East). The city officials declined her request even though Laurel and Stacie were registered domestic partners. As far as Laurel was concerned this was not fair, but how could she fight them while her health was declining? This film festival winning drama was based on a true story. The cast which also included Michael Shannon (99 Homes, Man of Steel) as Dane Wells and Steve Carell (Foxcatcher, The Office-TV) as Steven Goldstein were excellent with Ellen and Michael as the standouts. They really did the best they could with the heavy handed script. I felt the writer was pushing the tough scenes to wring out every last drop of emotion out of them instead of letting the actors convey their feelings naturally. The other aspect I found troubling was the directing; scenes did not always flow from one to the other. It seemed as if I was only seeing parts of the story that in reality was a powerful one. After seeing this romantic biography I still do not understand how some people prefer making judgements instead of appreciating anyone who has the ability to love.

2 1/2 stars