REVIEW: ‘Onwards and Sideways’ is a heartwarming story that doesn’t shy away from Parkinson’s disease

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This review contains some spoilers from the film Onwards and Sideways.

I didn’t expect a film about Parkinson’s disease to make me laugh as much as Onwards and Sideways did. What stayed with me, though, was how much care Tony and Emma show each other as their lives change and they face a scary future together.

The film opens with Tony (Rhys Ifans) dressed as Captain Hook at the primary school where he works. A student notices something strange about his stiff hand, but Tony brushes it off: “It’s just a little tired.” I liked how quickly that playful scene turns into something unsettling. We meet Tony as a teacher who clearly loves his students, and then follow that small observation to a diagnosis he doesn’t know of yet.

At the clinic, Tony meets Emma (Laura Linney), who has just received the same news. Their doctor tells them they may have about five “good years” before their symptoms worsen. It’s a frightening thing to hear, especially delivered so matter-of-factly. The film then moves through those five years, showing how differently Tony and Emma respond. Tony tries to keep his diagnosis private, worried about what it might mean for his job. Emma joins a Parkinson’s ballet class and starts speaking openly about the condition.

One of the most touching early scenes for me is Tony telling his son Chris over FaceTime. They care deeply about each other, but the screen between them makes an already difficult conversation feel lonelier. Tony’s sister Liz (Monica Dolan) is nearby and fiercely protective, yet there are parts of his fear that neither of them can fully understand. Ifans is especially good in those quiet moments. Tony often seems to be holding himself together for everyone else, even as his sleeplessness, lost sense of smell and low mood make everyday life much harder, and the change in his everyday routine is evident.

I also liked that Tony doesn’t immediately embrace the ballet class. Seeing other people with Parkinson’s brings him face to face with what he fears might happen to him too. He looks around and sees “all my worst futures in one room.” It’s a harsh reaction, but an honest one, and I appreciated that. As the film goes on, that room starts to feel different. The class gives people a chance to move, joke, and spend time with others who understand their condition without needing an explanation.

Emma’s visit to Tony’s school was another scene I really enjoyed. She asks the students to identify a mystery illness by learning about its symptoms, including her tremor. The children are curious and engaged, and Emma gets to talk about Parkinson’s as a person living with it. It’s especially meaningful with Tony watching: she’s being open about the very diagnosis he has been afraid to share at work.

The romance develops through their repeated encounters, and I liked that it leaves room for both awkwardness and fun. Emma’s energy pulls Tony into plans he might never make on his own, including a skydive that gives him nightmares. Their attempt at speed dating is funny for a different reason: it finally pushes Tony to tell Emma how he feels. Linney brings warmth to Emma, while Ifans makes Tony’s hesitant steps toward her feel genuinely moving.

Onwards and Sideways doesn’t let that warmth erase the difficult parts of this illness that deteriorates one’s brain. Emma’s gambling problem shows how a medication side effect can disrupt her life and relationships. There’s also a painful moment when a treatment seems to ease her tremor, only for it to return. I appreciated those scenes because Emma’s optimism is allowed to change. Tony and Emma can make each other laugh, but neither can promise the other that things will get easier.

The film sometimes pushes its sentimental moments a little too far, and I could see where parts of the romance were heading. Still, the ending worked for me because it returns to something small and personal. After Tony and Emma briefly separate, they reunite at a funeral. Tony has made her a version of a story they discussed earlier in the film, with different coloured pages to make reading easier for her and a recording so she can listen to his voice. I loved that gesture. It shows him paying attention to Emma’s changing needs and finding a way to share something that was discussed earlier to bring everything back full-circle.

By the time Tony and Emma marry, their health is continuing to decline. The film gives them a loving ending without suggesting that love can fix Parkinson’s or any illness/disease for that matter. That’s what made Onwards and Sideways so heartwarming to me: it puts the reality of the disease on display while showing how much humour, community and tenderness can still fit into a life with it, and make things a tiny bit easier.