Can a bureaucrat find meaning in his final days after a terminal diagnosis?
In short: In 1953 London, a weary civil servant faces a terminal illness and decides to abandon his stifling routine. Instead of succumbing to despair, he embarks on a quest to leave a lasting legacy, transforming from a cog in the machine into a man who finally chooses to truly live.
Directed by Oliver Hermanus and penned by Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro, the 2022 film Living serves as an English-language reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s 1952 masterpiece, Ikiru. The narrative centers on Rodney Williams, a senior bureaucrat at the London County Council whose existence is defined by endless paperwork and bureaucratic inertia. His life shifts irrevocably when he receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, prompting him to confront the emptiness of his long-standing professional habits.
The film follows Williams as he attempts to reconcile with his estranged son and daughter-in-law, a task that proves emotionally impossible. Seeking escape, he briefly contemplates suicide before finding solace in an unexpected night of revelry with a writer. This experience, combined with his burgeoning friendship with a former subordinate, Miss Margaret Harris, inspires him to reclaim his agency. He decides to champion a petition from local women to transform a post-war bomb site into a children's playground, effectively challenging the very system he once served.
Critics have largely lauded the film, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 96% positive rating from 223 reviews. Bill Nighy’s performance, which earned him a Best Actor nomination at the 95th Academy Awards, is widely cited as the film's emotional anchor. While some reviewers, such as Matt Zoller Seitz, noted that the film’s subdued tone occasionally fixates on the protagonist's unarticulated sadness, others like Richard Roeper praised Nighy for carrying the story effortlessly. Ultimately, the film serves as a poignant meditation on mortality and the quiet, often overlooked power of individual action in the face of institutional indifference.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Living (2022 film)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-living-2022-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
