Living

Now I am not usually a particular fan of Bill Nighy but in this he is very much at the top of his game. An adaptation of Kurosawa's "Ikuru" (1952), the setting is shifted to London where Nighy is the fastidious "Mr. Williams". A local civil servant heading up the public works department of the London County Council. His small team has some new blood in the form of "Mr. Wakeling" (Alex Sharp) whose baptism in the department is to accompany three ladies (and the audience) on a revelative journey through the pillar-to-post red tape that "Williams" himself facilitates - all guaranteeing that very little actually ever gets done! Leaving early one day, we discover that this erstwhile precise and predictable individual is seriously ill. Unable and/or unwilling to divulge this information to his son, he absconds to the seaside where he encounters "Sutherland" (Tom Burke) who gives him a relaxing tour of the local hotspots before he return to London and happens upon one of his team "Miss Harris" (Aimee Lou Wood). A posh luncheon ensues and the elderly gent and his young colleague start to bond. This bond soon has - unbeknown either of them - tongues wagging, but when she gets a new job he finds himself drawn to her. Drawn to her joie de vivre and general enthusiasm for a life he knows he will not have for too much longer. That becomes contagious as he decides to apply himself, and his team, to achieving at least one more thing in a professional capacity! It is a gently paced and evocative story that deals with that sense of re-prioritisation faced by anyone when faced with a profound change in circumstances. Nighy has a delightfully understated manner to his performance here, Wood is also effective as his increasingly valuable confidente and Oliver Hermanus manages to retain much of the charm and gently potent impetus of the original Ishiguro story. It is beautifully scored by Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch who incorporates original and powerful themes with established classical ones. The costumes and overall aesthetic of the film complements well the classy and impressive performances that resonated in quite a thought-provoking, and multi-layered fashion as I watched it. I was engaged by this from start to finish and I really quite enjoyed it.

Before watching this, I have often thought of Brief Encounter as the quintessential film on English repression.

I have to add this. And it (openly, honestly) echoes the Lean classic in other ways, including a piano classical piece alongside steam engine imagery in the first act.

And what a lead performance. I've never been blown away by Nighy before. This is incredible. Every crushing moment, every unspoken word, every flinch. I was right there with him.

The closing imagery is beyond beautiful. And stay for the credits, with a beautiful rendition of a song that features in the story (and breaks your heart).

If you ever feel untethered, purposeless, this may mean an awful lot to you. It does to me.

Cinema is a great medium for urgent storytelling because people pay attention. "Living" executes beautifully in creating an environment that is easily understood with a character that isn't over-dramatized to definitively share a message that lies at the heart of this story; purpose. Purpose in relationships, work, passion, and of course, in living life. Bill Nighy is convincingly composed and patient in expressing his emotions in the midst of a life-altering realization that never sways the authenticity of his performance. The score is strong, but not overpowering and the cinematography is simple, yet pleasingly complementary to the set design of 1950s London. In a world where excitement drives entertainment, it's the grounded nature of this story that will drive lasting reflection.

Pushed to the very brink of a bureaucratic apocalypse a restrained man, Mr Williams, reaches out to low hanging branches to save himself from obscurity after learning of a terminal illness.

What follows is the emergence of uncharacteristic behaviour of Mr Williams to perhaps enjoy the freshness of life. The film does not plunge into clichés and self pity. It is charming and warm. An elderly man coming to terms of the end of his life. People of a certain age will engage in the meaning as it perhaps communicates a timeless message that we as humans are extremely selfish and fail to understand the society we live in.

I encourage everyone to watch the film, get absorbed in the incredible performances by all the actors and actresses. There are notable cameos but it all comes together in a very emotional way. Bill Nighy is excellent and the supporting cast also.

The film will be remembered and will join the ranks of the classics.

You've lived a life within the bounds of expectation, conformed to all the codes, rules, regulations, mastered the art of the transaction, never looking for reaction, played the game to par, avoiding altercations; but the hand you've just been dealt has caused confusion, as you realise you're living an illusion, blindly going through the motions, without feelings for devotions, now it's time to make a stand, faced with conclusions.

A wonderful performance from Bill Nighy that might get you thinking about your own mortality and whether your direction of travel is taking you where you want to go. A remake of Ikiru, it also reminded me of Bergman's Wild Strawberries.