Dementia has been depicted in film before, but writer-director Sarah Friedland’s debut feature takes a stronger interest in Ruth’s journey, more so than the illness’ impact on the family. It’s a refreshing take. Other portrayals of the condition emphasize the tragedy of slowly losing one’s sense of self, sometimes to the point the film forgets that self. Here, Ruth still feels like a person. Part of it is the way she’s introduced just before her move to the new community, but the screenplay and direction respects the life that she’s lived, with lead Kathleen Chalfant portraying her strong personality, even as the context behind her responses slowly fade from her mind. Familiar Touch remembers the person behind the memory loss, making the grief all the more heartwrenching.