User reviews

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.

I have a bit of a soft spot for movies set in the grey, emotionally repressed landscape of post-war Britain. I also happen to believe that Kazuo Ishiguro is one of our best living authors and Bill Nighy is always worth the price of admission. So I went into this preview of "Living" with high expectations and emerged happy that they had been met.

In a way this film reminds me of "Brief Encounter" in that the emotional tone is subdued with deep feelings left unsaid and unshared. Nighy's character is a man of the age and he's led a controlled, functional life of duty. It takes a brush with death to break this control and to let his Mr. Williams belatedly catch up on all that has passed him by.

It's a simple tale and yet I cannot deny that several poignant moments bought a tear to my eye. There's laughter too but this is a bittersweet film that leaves enough space for you to reflect on your own life and where you might have squeezed more juice from the journey.

Now I understand that the original film "Ikiru" is even better and I can well believe that with Akira Kurosawa at the helm. However I haven't seen it (yet) and I am more than satisfied by this modern retelling.

Over the years Bill Nighy has become one of my favorite actors. My earliest recollection of him was 20 years ago in "Love Actually", where he played Billy Mack, a washed-up musician who makes a hit Christmas recording. He has a certain style and it resonates with me.

During this filming he was 71 or 72. Here he is the main character, Williams, who is the long-time boss of a small group in the London County offices in the early 1950s. All the men wear Bowler style hats. Williams is always very quiet and very polite, he keeps an arms distance from his crew, not even riding in the same train car to and from work.

As he grew into an adult all he really aspired to was being a Gentleman. Traditionally, an English gentleman was the lowest rank of the gentry, similar to the French nobleman. He worked diligently, was friendly to everyone, but seemingly had no interests outside work. He even had a distant relationship with his married son who still lived with him.

Then he received the diagnosis, he only had a few months to live. His first reaction was to make up for lost time, to meet strangers and have fun. But that was an empty exercise. Of note, during the "fun" a lady stole his Bowler hat, he replaced it with a Fedora, a new style for him, which was a sign of his new perspective. He would do something meaningful before he was gone, he would push through a community project that had been pigeonholed for too long.

So it is really a character study of this simple but complex man, Williams. It works very well. It is a remake of the highly regarded 1952 Kurosawa movie "Ikiru". My wife and I enjoyed it at home on DVD from our public library.

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.

I am floored. Got on a flight from SFO to Munich and settled in to watch the only academy award nominated film I had not seen last year. Kicking myself for waiting. This film grabbed me by the throat, lifted me up and slapped me back and forth at least 6 times! Bill Nighy was robbed at the Oscars. What a performance. And what an amazing and special film loaded with in-depths explorations of questions each of has or will confront ourselves with before we each reach the end of our own stories. Bravo to the screen writers and the art direction and glorious music. I was moved to tears at least 3 times and just as many other moments of happiness, triumph and satisfaction. What a special film. It is now my favorite film and I can't wait to re-watch it and direct every scene and every hidden message. Bravo!

A little slow paced for my taste, but I can't deny that Bill Nighy displayed a masterclass in subtle acting. Also I found it quite interesting that he took the role after sharing a taxi ride with the screenwriter Kazuo Ishiguro who pitched him right in the spot. That's pretty confident of Nighy to accept the role after such an encounter, but yeah, what a great decision on his part. Other standouts on the performance end of things include Aimee Lou Wood and Alex Sharp. They have a bright future ahead of them and I can't wait to see what they choose next. Also shout out to the musical score which helped bolster the emotions and kept me awake.

I had no preconceptions or expectations when I went to see this film. I left the cinema feeling deeply moved, alongside a range of emotions including sadness and joy, amidst a sense that I had just been immersed in one of the best cinematic works of art in a very long time. In the jaded world of today's cinema where nothing is really new anymore, and movies peddle the Incredible, with disappointing over the top drama, this film's simplicity was its outstanding and defining feature. Accompanied by a haunting soundtrack, it tells the very human story of a man (Nighy) who has six months left to live and how he chooses to make his mark and get satisfaction from celebrating the ordinary and achieving a modest but much loved and celebrated goal. The performances were outstanding in their subtlety (who knew Nighy had such a beautiful singing voice), and the direction by Hermanus was perfect - designed to tell a simple story and get the best from the actors without being obtrusive or distracting. The setting in 1950s London, portraying a world of grey bureaucracy mirrors today's corporate, health, and social care world's perfectly, with the final message to embrace and accept that which "doesn't quite fit" sending a humorous yet pointed message to us all.

Definitely bring the tissues - but celebrate it too as one of the best films in years.

It's a beautifully made film (on a budget) for sure but I found this remake of Kurosawa's Ikiru frustratingly inert. I am English and proudly somewhat reserved (until I've had a few drinks, thus living up to our other stereotype), but many of the characters in this are practically dead. Scenes drag a on too long, mostly because the characters don't converse properly, and while the poetry of it all held my attention I couldn't help but feel slightly agitated at the molasses pace.

Bill Nighy brings his usual charm, although naturally subdued as with the rest of it. There's a brief, almost-fun showing from the ever reliable Tom Burke. And as I said, it is handsomely well shot so not a waste of anyone's time, just don't go in expecting big things - and that I say with classic British understatement.

For the record, the original is probably my least favourite Kurosawa film, so you can take from that what you will.

This movie has the beauty and compression of expression of poetry. I admire Bill Nighy's work and wanted to see Living because he was in it, but this movie exceeded my expectations. Nighy's performance is deeply affecting. His singing of The Rowan Tree is devastating.

Initially I thought the movie was a Dickensian skewering of do-nothing bureaucracy, British emotional paralysis, and 1950s conformism, but several characters prove to have more dimensions and nuance than they first appear to have. Living goes far beyond stereotypical social criticism. It ultimately is an affirmation of living itself.

I recommend this movie wholeheartedly.

Director Oliver Hermanus has made a very British and extremely respectful remake of a genuine cinema classic, Akira Kurosawa's "Ikiru", and it manages to work. The 1952 original showed Kurosawa's fluency in reflecting the human condition in a compelling manner outside the settings of his more famous samurai epics. This 2022 film takes a more austere, "The Remains of the Day"-like approach to the same story of a dying bureaucrat's transformation into a selfless soul in his last days. It's no surprise Kazuo Ishiguro adapted the screenplay although I was surprised how faithful he was to the original down to very specific scenes and images. The key difference was the differing acting styles. Whereas Kurosawa directed his actors in an almost more Baroque style, Hermanus relied on a more repressive approach which seems a better match with the 1953 London setting. Bill Nighy gives a touching performance truly comparable to Takashi Shimura's in the original. Alex Sharp, Tom Burke, and especially Aimee Lou Wood perform admirably in the expected supporting roles. If the film was not as transcendent as it could have been without the shadow cast by Kurosawa, its intention and craftsmanship did a lot to compensate.

You've lived a life within the bounds of expectation, conformed to all the rules and legislation, mastered the art of the transaction, never looking for reaction, played the game to par and met the regulations; but the hand you've just been dealt has caused confusion, as you realise you're living an illusion, mechanically going through the motions, avoiding feelings or emotions, now it's time to make a stand, based on 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.

Bill Nighy gives a restrained performance in this gentle, unoffensive film with a nice if somewhat cliche message about what it means to do something with your life that you'll be remembered for.

There's nothing wrong with this movie, but it's so determined to be proper and British that it never really comes alive either. Nighy has been honored with a Best Actor Oscar nomination. He's fine for what the role requires, but it's not an especially memorable performance, ironic since he plays a man who decides he wants to do something good he'll be remembered for after he dies. Aimee Lou Wood is the standout in this film. No one has ever made an overbite look cuter or more adorable.

Kazuo Ishiguro also received an Oscar nomination for the film's adapted screenplay, an update of the Kurosawa film "Ikiru."

Grade: B.

Honestly, I couldn't be more upset about how awful this film is. It doesn't feel like a remake, it feels like plagiarism. At the midpoint just when Nighy actually comes to life for a half second instead of being a walking corpse in need of an eternal nap, the film steals the exact same structure from Kurosawa's masterpiece Ikiru. Just when the film comes to life for literally less than one minute, it pulls the rug out and returns to being the dull, mopey, sappy, saccharine, snoozefest pabulum it's so dead set on being.

The only positive thing I can say about this movie is that if these people can get paid to make a movie as bereft of the human spirit as this film is, well then there is hope for any filmmaker out there. Because, truly so little invention went into this, it's frankly appalling.

I'm appalled by all the awards and nominations being showered on this shameful act of copycatting. There isn't an ounce of creativity or artistry in this movie. How can you take Kurosawa's masterpiece, one of the greatest films in the history of cinema, and say I'm going to make a garbage Netflix movie out of it with boring shot-reverse-shot TV cutting patterns!? It's beyond the pale. And then to nominate it for Best Adapted Screenplay after they've sucked all the life out of the original, it boggles the mind!? If they just made this a streaming movie, I wouldn't have cared. Give the lazy couch surfing, iphone watching masses their pablum to slurp on. But to have the gall to put this in theatres and gussy it up as if it's a prestige movie is shameful and appalling. (Yes, I keep saying "appalling," because that's just what this is, and if Nighy can keep saying "what a bore" throughout a movie that is a literal giant bore from start to finish, then I've got my own repetition license too.)

First of all, I've been a Bill Nighy fan for as long as I can remember. And that's really the only reason I went to a theatre and bought a ticket to see this movie, and risked my life in rush hour traffic to get there. I legit almost got hit by an Uber while crossing with the right of way within the pedestrian markings because I was hustling to get to the screening. (Imagine being so full of life. I know it's hard after seeing this movie.) To think I could have ended up hospitalized for this utter tripe.

Nighy should have turned this down. He's a great character actor, but doesn't have the range for a lead of this caliber. (Sleeping through a major section of the story and hiding in the shadows of the bar is not an acting choice.) More to the point though is that he is no longer in the casting range to play a "father" especially not a 1950's father. There was no such thing as "old dad" syndrome in the '50's. And even today he is well beyond "old dad" casting. He is well and fully into grandfather territory. So getting diagnosed at his age is not exactly a massive tug on the heart strings. It's well within a person's time to go, eliciting low wattage on the empathy scale.

The girl who is supposed to remind him of the vibrance of youth is as dull as they come. I know the director previously made a gay army movie and it clearly shows, as there isn't an ounce of straight sexuality in this film. Even the stripper, who in Kurosawa's film is shot in the most iconic way and immediately gets a rise out of Shimura's Watanabe. Here she is a dumpy broad left over from a Dove commercial that makes you want to look away. Hardly any reason to go on living. And Nighy's not even awake to see her. Ridiculous. And his tour guide through what is supposed to be a carnival of pleasures is just some schlub guy who has no life in him either. He also has this distractingly odd Stacey Keatch doppelgänger thing going on but, of course, with zero element of danger or intrigue to him.

This is really one of the most garbage remakes I've ever seen. It's inexcusably bad. I urge you PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE! Get a free trial to The Criterion Channel and watch IKIRU! Or find it on Kanopy, Or just rent it. Please, you must. It is one of the greatest films of all time. It is better than Citizen Kane. I kid you not. Please, for the love of God, don't watch this garbage movie.

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.

From the opening footage of 1950s London to the closing credits this is a simply exquisite film. Bill Nighy is perfect in the lead role of the senior civil servant who is forced to confront his own mortality and Amy Lou Wood and Alex Sharp provide fine support at the other end of the age spectrum. There are some lovely scenes all played with understated panache and whilst the storyline is undoubtedly a little sad the film leaves the viewer appreciative of what's really important in life. It also achieves this in an understated, non preachy and gentle tone. There's also a fine soundtrack throughout and a lovely final scene to round it all off.

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.

I love Bill Nighy and he did a great job in this film. But the film itself, in attempting to be accessible to the microsecond attention span of today's audiences, lost a lot of the deep meaning of the original. I mean, it is the same story, but it felt like something else entirely, and I watched these films back to back. Of course, it's hard to translate something from a culture to another when they are so different. Even placing the story in 1960ish England can't make it close to 1952 Japan. The plot becomes just the story of the main character and less the social critique that I felt the original film be.

One good thing that the film has going for it is the small length. Instead of 2 hours 23 you get a normal 1 hour and 45 minutes length. The pacing is much improved as well. However the inspiring and poignant moments from Ikiru are few and far between in Living.

The story remains the same: an old guy who has wasted his life in a meaningless existence, both at home and at work, finds out he is dying. He then tries to make up for it by living to the fullest the last few months he has left. Yet the film cannot be a satire of British society, since it has changed dramatically since 2022 and no one cares. It cannot be about family relations, as being estranged with your parents today is hardly shocking. It cannot be a discussion about politicians with empty words and empty hearts or bureaucrats covering their asses or about the corruption of society by money, gangsters and foreign influence, because those parts were mostly left out. All you have left is a shallow outcry against generic bureaucracy and a pointless love affair at the end between people you couldn't care less about.

If it weren't for Bill Nighy's moving performance I would have called this a failed attempt. As such I will rate it average. Go watch the original!

Living succeeds with a basically impossible task of reinterpreting an Akira Kurosawa classic, resulting in an incredible drama that's both heartwarming and heartbreaking whilst being a poignant reminder not to let life pass you by and to take pleasure in the simple things.

Bill Nighy gives a note perfect lead performance, a superbly understated performance that's able to break your heart with a few words. Aimee Lou-Wood is terrific with a boundless optimism and endearing chemistry with Bill Nighy.

Oliver Hermanus' direction is phenomenal, choosing beautiful framing and perfectly timed editing with minimal camera movements, all enhanced by the aspect ratio. The music by Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch is amazing, so whimsical and beautiful to match the films message and style.

A delightfully artistic film about finding delight in life. It's very not Hollywood in a refreshing way. For all those who feel the mundane dreariness of work, this offers a lovely view on how vocation can offer hope and love and joy in the dark corners of this world.

It is also a film that deals head on with the three challenges of facing mortality and wondering what life is all about. There are too few stories deal with this in an honest manner. How does one make life worthwhile-especially when facing a numbered days.

Based on an iconic Japanese film, this brings a new, British take on the classic in a way that works so well.

Well worth your time. Two thumbs up.

Movies are for ... those who watch them? No pun intended - you may be aware of the original movie this is based on "Ikiru" by Akira Kurosawa. If not, I suggest you go watch it ... like right now! Not even kidding - you can read my review of it if you want to, but watch it, that's all I've got to say.

That out of the way, this is a really good movie in its own right. And it is because of the strong base this can built upon. So there is a strong script/movie to draw from and then you cast Bill in the lead role. He is a national treasure for sure. He is a treasure for anyone who loves movies that is. He begins quite stoic, we do not get to see much of him ... and the movie also has a new guy ... who represents the audience. He doesn't know much about the business, about the job and his new life he is about to embark. Just like us in a way.

But Bill takes over ... and how well he does it .. it is amazing. If this does not touch you in any way ... well you should check your pulse as they say. Well told and well filmed, with some good music/soundtrack to boost too ...

The moral of this movie is that true happiness can only be achieved by helping others and doing good deeds for society in general and not by indulging in activities for self happiness. Based on a Akira Kurosawa movie " Ikiru", the story set in London city of 1950, has a senior Civil servant of the public works department Rodney ( Bill Nighy) who has eight months to live due to a terminal illness and now seeks a noble purpose in life. He now wants to do something for society and instead of putting off decisions which he has been doing so far in the department, he digs in his heels to pursue a case to provide a playground for children in place of a dilapidated neighbourhood. (When he confronts delays he says " I don't have time to be angry".) Director Oliver Hermanus has made a slow and laid-back paced movie. The possible reason is that it deals with London of the 50s when the ladies/ gentlemen were formal and introverts, strictly followed the hierarchy at workplace and spoke little. They addressed each saying Mister/ Madam. Also the lead character is a terminally sick man, lonely and desolate who moves slowly and speaks in whispers. Nevertheless the movie is an interesting watch and is poignant, sad and sentimental at most places. Bill Nighy gives a laudable, moving and a low profile performance. He is rightly nominated for the best actor Oscar though I feel at least one competitor stands a better chance .Young lady Aimee Lou Wood ( with a pretty overbite) plays Miss Margaret Harris and makes a cute office employee who provides much needed company to old man Bill whom she calls " Mr Zombie" in fun. In an interesting sequence she is direct in asking him if he is infatuated with her and Bill clarifies he only impressed by her cheerful demeanour.