Living

Based on 1952’s Ikiru, Living follows closed-off bureaucrat Rodney Williams (Bill Nighy) as he’s given a terminal diagnosis of cancer and subsequently attempts to do something with his life in the time he has left. Filmmaker Oliver Hermanus, working from a script by Kazuo Ishiguro, delivers an erratically-paced yet mostly satisfying drama that’s anchored by Nighy’s stirring and completely compelling performance, as the actor does a superb job of stepping into the shoes of his taciturn yet increasingly compelling and sympathetic figure – with Nighy’s first-class efforts matched by such top-notch costars as Tom Burke, Alex Sharp, and Aimee Lou Wood. (The latter is especially impressive as a former coworker who eventually develops a real bond with Rodney.) It’s clear, then, that Living‘s inability to pack an expected emotional punch stems from Hermanus’ deliberate execution and ongoing reliance on overly ostentatious directorial flourishes, and there’s little doubt, as well, that the narrative’s impressively unexpected yet rather distracting left turn towards the conclusion does diminish the impact of the picture’s final few minutes – which does, in the final analysis, cement the movie’s place as a predominantly stirring endeavor that receives plenty of mileage out of Nighy’s spellbinding work as the doomed protagonist.

*** out of ****