Living

Drama | Directed by Oliver Hermanus | See in theatres or watch on Amazon Prime

When jaded, lonely and adrift civil servant Rodney Williams (Bill Nighy) receives bad news from his doctor, he desperately explores how to put meaning back into his remaining life. Set in post-war London, this British production—an adaptation of the 1952 Japanese film Ikiru—features a screenplay by Kazuo Ishiguro, author of The Remains of the Day. Living successfully creates an atmosphere of stultifying bureaucracy, restrained social mores and unsupportive family, all of which serve to amplify Williams’ struggles. Nighy delivers a deeply poignant and memorable performance, supported ably by rising co-stars Aimee Lou Wood and Alex Sharp.

(Reviewed by David Youngmeyer)