Living, 2022.
Directed by Oliver Hermanus.
Starring Bill Nighy, Aimee Lou Wood, Tom Burke, and Alex Sharp.
SYNOPSIS:
An English-language adaptation of the script of “Ikiru” (1952), set in London in the 1950s.
Akira Kurosawa’s works have often lent themselves to Western reinterpretation, be it Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven, Yojimbo and A Fistful of Dollars, or The Hidden Fortress proving a huge inspiration for the original Star Wars.
The latest of Kurosawa’s oeuvre to be reinterpreted is 1952’s Ikiru which saw a bureaucrat, detached from his life, begin to rediscover the joy of living following a terminal diagnosis. Oliver Hermanus’s aptly titled Living sees Bill Nighy inhabit the role of Mr. Williams in a film that acts as one of the London Film Festival’s galas and boasts a script from acclaimed novelist Kazuo Ishiguro behind the likes of Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go.
The film remains faithful to Ikiru although boasts a shorter runtime coming in at just over 100 minutes compared to the 140 of Kurosawa’s classic. While there will of course be questions about the need to remake a film considered one of the finest from one of cinema’s greatest directors, Living largely equips itself well, retaining the 1950s setting of the original and transposing the Tokyo setting to post-war London, giving it a distinctly British feel which helps separate it from the original.
The cinematography from Jamie D. Ramsay, who also recently worked on another 1950s-set film in See How They Run, is a standout with a truly stunning opening sequence evoking some of the films of the era and showcasing that this is a very well made and lovingly put together film. It looks truly wonderful and captures the period with a real beauty and elegance. The stunning camerawork is wonderfully complemented by Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch’s luscious and gorgeous score, following her work on Rocks and establishing her as a composer to make note of.
One of the main things that makes this take on the story worthwhile is the performance of Bill Nighy, an actor who has become one of Britain’s most recognisable over the past 20 years. This may well be his finest work. He imbues Mr. Williams with a deep sense of sadness and regret over how his life has turned out, far more restrained than his parts in say The Boat That Rocked or Love Actually; here he is vulnerable and tender and wanting to make something of the last remnants of his life.
As with the original film the story latterly revolves around his dedication to build a children’s playground and fighting the red tape that comes with that. A scene where a slightly drunken Mr. Williams sings an old Scottish tune at Brighton seafront is one of the film’s standouts and immaculately performed by Nighy.
Outside of Nighy, there is a high-calibre supporting cast led by Sex Education’s Aimee Lou Wood as Margaret, a colleague of Mr. Williams whose free spirited, eagerness to embrace life Mr. Williams wishes to emulate and they form a close bond. True Things and The Souvenir’s
Tom Burke makes the most of a small but impactful role as the bohemian Sutherland with whom Williams enjoys a night out at the seafront, a sequence that gloriously contrasts the London setting of much of the rest of the film. The film is bookended by Alex Sharp’s Wakeling, a new starter at Williams’ firm and someone who comes to admire his determination and changing outlook on the world.
Ishiguro’s script allows the film to feel far from a carbon copy of Ikiru and the cast are more than up to the challenge with subtle changes to locations key events occur plus maximising the London setting, even if the story does largely follow the same beats as the original down to its ending. For the most part this is clearly referential but Living can exist away from the shadow of Ikiru and is a fine film in its own right.
Living acts as a wonderful late career showcase for Bill Nighy and his versatility as an actor, ably supported by a fine cast. Ishiguro’s script will likely interest some and he does plenty to dissuade unfavourable comparisons to the original. If not quite the all time classic Ikiru is, then Living certainly gives it a good shot. A gorgeous film to look at with a beautiful score, it is well worthy of audiences’ time and sure to please those both familiar and unfamiliar with its source material.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie ★ ★ ★ ★
Chris Connor
