TIFF 2026 Review: Onwards and Sideways – “entertaining and avoids trivialization.”

The lives of two strangers become entwined when both are diagnosed with Parkinson disease.

An observation by an elementary school student during his performance of Captain Hook leads to teacher Tony Evans being medically tested and diagnosed with Parkinson’s; he is drawn towards another patient named Emma, who received the same news not long before him. The two of them struggle to cope, experiencing a couple of awakenings along the way as the disease begins to significantly impact how they go about their lives.

Rhys Ifans and Laura Linney provide a solid emotional core that you cannot help rooting and feeling sorry for them. Of the supporting cast, Ross McShane stands out despite the brief screen time as the caring son of Tony, while the boorish performances of Monica Dolan and Nicholas Asbury are more annoying and exaggerated. Not sure if it was intentional or if scenes got cut out when it came to the doctor played by Rory Kinnear because, despite sitting in with Parkinson’s patients, he does not seem to thaw at all when it comes to his bedside manner.

The opening sequence was a clever way to bring the audience into the story as it is unusual and not outlandish, as children have a habit of being unfiltered with what they say to others. The medical examination of Tony was interesting to watch as you can see how the diagnosis came about. An act of stupidity leads to an unexpected fun action sequence that is not outside the realm of possibility. The retirement ceremony was clever, in particular with the Zoom being a key component. The division of the narrative into six chapters as the disease progresses is a smart way of dealing with the time jumps. The hardest aspect which John Madden accomplishes is not shying away from the devastating consequences of having Parkinson’s while incorporating a self-deprecating sense of humour which makes the experience entertaining and avoids trivialization.

The 51st Toronto International Film Festival runs September 10-20, 2026, and for more information visit tiff.net.   

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada; he can be found at LinkedIn.