The For-Profit Face of Alzheimer’s Care: Tangles’ Troubling Genre-Bending

The latest animated film tackling dementia, Tangles, has received a mixed response from critics. Despite its impressive voice cast and visually pleasing animation, the movie’s earnest yet generic approach to its subject matter raises questions about the commercialization of Alzheimer’s care.

Tangles adapts Sarah Leavitt’s graphic memoir into an animated film for mainstream audiences, which may seem like a noble effort to bring this complex issue to a wider audience. However, by doing so, it perpetuates a troubling trend in healthcare: treating patients and their families as marketable commodities rather than human beings deserving of dignity and compassion.

The film relies on formulaic storytelling and sentimentalized portrayal of the Leavitt family’s struggles, which comes across as shallow compared to more nuanced explorations of dementia. The director, Leah Nelson, has opted for a lighter tone that prioritizes warmth over grit, resulting in a movie that feels like a Hallmark special rather than a genuine portrayal of the human experience.

This trend is not new; recent years have seen a surge in films and TV shows focusing on aging and dementia with commercial rather than artistic intention. Theaters are filled with movies that promise to “inspire” or “educate” audiences about these issues, but ultimately fail to deliver substance.

The impact of this trend is twofold. Firstly, it creates unrealistic expectations about the value of art in caregiving by packaging Alzheimer’s care as a feel-good, family-friendly experience. This risks trivializing the complexities and challenges faced by patients and their families. Secondly, it perpetuates a culture of voyeurism, where audiences are encouraged to “experience” others’ struggles without genuinely engaging with them.

Tangles’ success in attracting an impressive voice cast and securing commercial viability is a prime example of this trend. While the film’s message of comfort and understanding may resonate with some viewers, its very existence raises questions about the motivations behind its creation. Is it truly intended to provide solace to those struggling with dementia, or is it merely another attempt to capitalize on a growing market for “inspirational” content?

As we continue to navigate the complexities of Alzheimer’s care, it’s essential to prioritize authenticity over commercial appeal. We need stories that confront the harsh realities of this disease head-on rather than sugarcoating them for entertainment value.

Tangles may serve as a reminder that animation can be used to tackle complex issues in a thoughtful and sensitive manner, but its generic approach ultimately undermines its impact. The real challenge lies not in creating marketable content about Alzheimer’s care, but in crafting stories that genuinely resonate with patients, families, and caregivers – stories that acknowledge the depth of human emotion and experience involved.

The film industry has a responsibility to represent these issues with nuance and sensitivity rather than relying on tired tropes and sentimentalism. By doing so, we can create content that truly supports those affected by Alzheimer’s care, rather than exploiting them for profit.