Living - 2 nominations

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Bill Nighy

Best Adapted Screenplay Kazuo Ishiguro

Living is based on a film called Ikiru by Akira Kurosawa. We know Kazuo Ishigiro to be an excellent screenwriter, and this movie is no exception.  Unbelievably, Living marks Bill Nighy's very first Oscar nomination, and he delivers such a pristine, beautiful, perfect performance that the tears I shed while watching were not only for the story, but for the sheer excellence of the portrayal.  At its heart, it's a simple story of a staid, quiet man whose routine is boring, whose work as a basically ineffective government bureaucrat is relentless, and whose life has devolved into simply turning the calendar from one day to the next.  When he is given a terminal diagnosis, he decides to try to have a bit of fun.

We have certainly seen this kind of story before - a terminal diagnosis awakens the dead-inside person up to live life more fully.  What is special about this film is that the turn Nighy's character Williams takes is not simply to fun, but in doing good for others, and then hopefully inspiring those around him to do the same.  It's hard to know what Williams' legacy will be, but he can end his life knowing that he made an impact with someone.  I loved this film, and I hope that the Oscars recognition will attract audiences to see it.  It's worth your time, it's absolutely lovely.