Sarah and Toni are two women trying their best to piece together precious time and they’re fragmented lives. They’ve have both lost—or are on the brink of losing—their respective spouses to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Sarah’s husband Joe has been left mentally impaired by a benign brain tumor and Toni’s partner left with retrograde amnesia after a tragic accident. However, not much makes sense anymore. The future seems futile; and after spending years seeking reassurance(s)—which only further gives way to a sense of incompleteness—the two burnt-out caregivers find themselves filling the void via an intimate (albeit one-sided) and brief romance.
“The Almond and the Seahorse” derives its title from a scene of Sarah (Rebel Wilson) explaining the two sides of the brain that control one’s memories and emotions, the amygdala and hippocampus, nicknamed as ‘almond’ and ‘seahorse’ due to their shapes. Similarly, the film also simplifies and breaks down its subject matter in a manner that is easily digestible to the audience. But despite the cutesy nicknames, the tone of “The Almond and the Seahorse” is far more grim. Its scope is more on highlighting the struggles involved in a complex healing process that is as prolonged as the injury itself, and which in itself is a two-pronged sword for both the TBI patient and his/her/their caregiver.
On Caregivers and their Loved Ones
It doesn’t help that Sarah alone has borne witness to both sides of her husband (Celyn Jones) manifesting themselves. Their relatives only view him as the life of the party who is forever clowning around, while Sarah lives in uncertainty over the more unpredictable facets as Joe swings between mellow/mischievous and condescending. This leads Sarah to lose her temper with strangers and lash out aggressively at passersbys who are oblivious to the couple’s unfair and overall frustrating situation. It ultimately even leads to her being labeled as a monster for merely carrying out her duty as a caregiver to the best of her abilities.
“The Almond and the Seahorse” also touches upon the coping mechanism of caregivers, which manifests in different ways. Sarah loses herself in her work as an archaeologist, keeping active at ungodly hours at night. She finds it easy to connect the dots of unknown ancient historical ruins or lineages by putting together bone fragments like a jigsaw puzzle. Yet she feels absolutely helpless when it comes to being present for the man she’s known all her life. On the other hand, Toni (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who quit a career as an architect to care for her partner, Gwen (Trine Dyrholm), has emotionally detached herself from a partner who no longer recognizes her. She sets out in search of a new life with Sarah, who is still grieving the loss of her old one; thus she isn’t completely present in their brief romantic tryst either, ultimately expressing regret and guilt over it.
Finding Common Ground
The film is quite empathetic, and even taps into the guilt and frustrations faced by practitioners, such as Dr Falmer (Meera Syal). She finds herself in a loop of repeating the same gloomy monologue over and over as she embarks on her routine of field trips discussing brain injuries with students. Through Dr. Falmer, the film illuminates that treating this ailment and living with it are two sides of the same frontal lobe. The film equally tasks all involved—from carers to patients and doctors—as they attempt to spread awareness while still seeking answers themselves, particularly since all roads only lead right back to square one.
“The Almond and the Seahorse” also draws parallels between the upturned home lives of Gwen and Sarah, with the latter opening up to an understanding sister on the repercussions of bringing a child into the world with Joe post-diagnosis. However, the couple still finds common ground by expressing an as-of-yet unchanged desire of parenthood. It also involves Gwen’s healing as well. Having miscarried in the accident that caused her amnesia has trapped her in a vicious loop of grieving over the loss of an unborn child every time she catches a glimpse of her older self in a mirror with a pregnant belly.
The above scenarios also address how the concept of time itself is foreign to TBI patients, resulting in them literally waking up to new realities every day. You get the sense that everything feels strange and everyone is a stranger, in addition to scenarios that are neither comprehensible to them but also difficult to accept or adapt to. Ultimately, Joe’s only way of filling in the gaps in his incomplete life is through metaphorically turning back time by flipping through the pages of a trusty journal which acts as an uneven yet helpful reminder of a time he can look back on.
Depicting the Struggles of the TBI Effected
The soulful writing by Kaite O’Reilly (who also wrote the stage play by the same name) and co-writer Celyn Jones) allows Rebel Wilson to tap into her dramatic chops. The actress mainly known for comedic outings fits the bill as a grieving yet resilient wife/caregiver. A scene of Sarah’s angst-ridden breakdown as she visits Dr. Falmer at her clinic stood out for me. I look forward to Wilson picking more such scripts that challenge her unseen side as a promising dramatic actor.
The ensemble cast is rounded out by Charlotte Gainsbourg and Trine Dyrholm, both of whom are compelling in their roles as Toni and Gwen, a couple whose passionate relationship has eroded to a volatile shell of its former self due to the after-effects of TBI. The soundtrack—especially the change in background score as Joe shifts or struggles to strike a balance between his emotions and current life/memories of his wife—is yet another strong aspect of the movie.
While “The Almond and The Seahorse” may not be the ultimate comfort movie, it does offer some reassurance on the differing time periods of grief and the reanimation/re-wiring process. It also urges audiences to reassess the situation in a manner that feels more hopeful or placating for both parties. Further, it serves as a reminder for caregivers to look out for their own health and avoid the path to self-annihilation or to discover healthier resources of coping.
A Film Urging Empathy
Ultimately and most importantly, the film it leaves the onus up to the general public to become better allies. It does this by creating a judgement-free zone so those dealing with TBIs can adapt to the situation—instead of piling on to the overwhelmingly cruel, awkward, or grueling triggers that the patients and their caregivers must confront on a regular basis.
“The Almond and the Seahorse” is available to watch on most streaming networks.
