Bill Nighy, a fine and talented British actor (for those who don't know him), appears larger than life on this film's poster and piques my interest thereby. Even if he was not alone on the poster, I would still watch it because like I said, he's talented. More so, the plot of this film revolves around him.
I have never hidden the fact that the main cast of a film usually sways my decision on whether to watch or not. The title of this film is catchy and thought-provoking. There's a stark contrast between the Bill Nighy that I've seen perform, usually in the role of villain, and the title of this film. Bill is usually mean and witty in films. How is he going to play the villain in a movie titled 'Living'? Or maybe he's a protagonist for a change in this one?
Living (2023) is a British period drama that opens with the scene of a young and lively Mr Peter Wakeling (played by Alex Sharp) who starts work at the Public Works Department in London. He discovers his new boss, Mr Rodney Williams (played by Bill Nighy), is an austere and reserved man who is focused mostly on his work.
On Wakeling's first day at work, three women visit their department with a petition requesting the construction of a new playground. These women are passed around the building, every department declining to attend to their petition until finally Mr Williams takes the file and adds it to the tall pile on his desk. The troubles of bureaucracy!
Mr Williams leaves work around midday which is very unlike him and visits his doctor. He is informed that he has roughly six months to live. In a sad state, Williams ditches work for some days, withdraws some money and indulges in a night of drunken revelry with a womaniser, Mr Sutherland (played by Tom Burke).
In his attempt to 'live a little' before his time is up, Williams meets one of his office colleagues, Margaret (played by Aimee Lou Wood), who got a new job. She excites him and they spend the afternoons together, giving Williams a different perspective on how to spend his last days on earth. Will Mr Rodney Williams follow through on this new perspective and leave a worthy legacy behind?
Review
This film is a must watch! It starts slow but after a few minutes, the plot comes alive. Directed by Oliver Hermanus, Living takes viewers into a post world war era of Britain and makes us relive the experience with the actors.
In this touching film, we see Bill Nighy at his best as an old man who lives a routinely boring life, like a zombie, but is awakened by the prognosis of his doctor and faced with his mortality. At this point, he grasps one last chance to experience the pleasures and sorrows of a life actually lived.
Bill Nighy's performance is not only touching but outstanding. I have known him to be funny and unrestrained in Underworld series, Love Actually and I, Frankenstein. But in this film, we see a melancholic side of him. In every scene, this iconic actor gently takes us through the evocative scenes of a dying man who chose to embrace the world rather than give in to his depressing death sentence.
Every nod, tiny flicks of smile, movements and words all come together to display the struggles of a man who makes a last-minute decision to change his legacy.
This film could easily pass off as a boring and sad one but Bill Nighy gave it life and made it something much more. We are heartbroken as he gets the doctor's report and equally delighted when he finds himself.
The plot and acting are great and so is the cinematography by Jamie Ramsay. It's elegant. The colours are stark and striking in some parts while others have bits of black and grey stripes, producing a beautiful yet serious look at the same time. These portray the time and settings of the film.
Overall, this film is worth watching. Living is a beautifully poignant story that makes you rethink life and encourages you to really start 'living'!
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Other images are screenshots from the movie