A former concert pianist (Hilary Swank) struggling with ALS and tired of professional nurses’ condescending attitudes hires an inexperienced college-age screw-up (Emmy Rossum) as her unlikely caregiver. They bond. Because it’s a movie.

Yes, the setup is pretty heavy-handed, but both characters become more believable as this well-intentioned, sisterhood-empowerment weepie moves along, and by the tearful end it has almost shaken off its TV movie-of-the-week feel. Almost.

Warning: director George C. Wolfe’s only previous effort was the Nicholas Sparks adaptation Nights in Rodanthe. Japanese title: Sayonara no Kawarini. (102 min)