This is one of the better “quiet” movies, as I call them, that I have watched in a long time. Bill Nighy seems to excel in restrained roles, where he speaks quietly and shows emotion subtly. I am thinking especially of The Girl in the Cafe, where he oddly enough also plays a civil servant.

Nighu is wonderful and methodical (in a good way) as a man who is thawing out from a repetitious, paralyzed life after he receives life-altering news. He even impresses when he sings a song in the same quiet, restrained manner.

A flashback is applied in an odd way nearer the end of the movie, but it works as an imaginative way to fill in the details of the ending.

I fully expect to watch this again.

Now I am not usually a particular fan of Bill Nighy but in this he is very much at the top of his game. An adaptation of Kurosawa's "Ikuru" (1952), the setting is shifted to London where Nighy is the fastidious "Mr. Williams". A local civil servant heading up the public works department of the London County Council. His small team has some new blood in the form of "Mr. Wakeling" (Alex Sharp) whose baptism in the department is to accompany three ladies (and the audience) on a revelative journey through the pillar-to-post red tape that "Williams" himself facilitates - all guaranteeing that very little actually ever gets done! Leaving early one day, we discover that this erstwhile precise and predictable individual is seriously ill. Unable and/or unwilling to divulge this information to his son, he absconds to the seaside where he encounters "Sutherland" (Tom Burke) who gives him a relaxing tour of the local hotspots before he return to London and happens upon one of his team "Miss Harris" (Aimee Lou Wood). A posh luncheon ensues and the elderly gent and his young colleague start to bond. This bond soon has - unbeknown to either of them - tongues wagging, but when she gets a new job he finds himself drawn to her. Drawn to her joie de vivre and general enthusiasm for a life he knows he will not have for too much longer. That becomes contagious as he decides to apply himself, and his team, to achieving at least one more thing in a professional capacity! It is a gently paced and evocative story that deals with that sense of re-prioritisation faced by anyone when faced with a profound change in circumstances. Nighy has a delightfully understated manner to his performance here, Wood is also effective as his increasingly valuable confidente and Oliver Hermanus manages to retain much of the charm and subtly potent impetus of the original Ishiguro story. It is beautifully scored by Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch who incorporates original and powerful themes with established classical ones. The costumes and overall aesthetic of the film complements well the classy and impressive performances that resonated in quite a thought-provoking, and multi-layered fashion as I watched it. I was engaged by this from start to finish and I really quite enjoyed it.

"I don't have time to get angry."

I was weary going in since I loved the original 1953 movie, but I thought the remake was good.

With this being an English remake, it feels like the plot beats of the original, but I think it mirrors the similarity of obsession in different cultures. I think the British setting does serve a purpose with society's rules for men in the workplace, the gender roles, clocking in, clocking out, and then starting again. Every man in this movie wears an almost identical suit and business hat, all blending in together, fitting a dress code for working men. The pressure of making a living to stay a life, provide for loved ones, serve a business that will easily replace you, and keep a roof over your head rather than live.

To live a life without having no thoughts, no feelings, or just not taking it all in, you're a walking zombie. But that's what I got from it.

Bill Nighy is fantastic. He makes it look so effortless. He does so little, and yet it's so much more. There were plenty of times during the movie I thought to myself, "Man, Bill Nighy is so brilliant." The scenes between him and Aimee Lou Wood, who is also fantastic, were so sweet and playful. Her character does ignite his inner youth again. It's the rare special moments you get in life.

It's very 1950s Britain, but I like the way it looks. All the colours are a bit muted but weirdly still colourful and stick out. The score was used appropriately, the production/costume design looked superb, and the cinematography was great.

And yes, I cried. It's a sad movie but not to the point where it gets depressing. This movie (and the original) is more than sadness but hopefully to inspire others to start living, to take notice of what's around you, and make the most of the little time we got.

The atmosphere in the room when the movie ended was unusual. Everyone was silent, and not many got up to leave. It struck the audience at the core and made everyone reflect a bit. I could feel it in the air. That's what cinema is all about. It's been a while since we had that.