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Living

Name: Living
Director: Oliver Hermanus
Released: 2022
Duration: 102 min

Representation Score

4.5/10

Fair

2022

PG-13

Director

Oliver Hermanus

Runtime

102 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Living is a period study that prioritizes historical authenticity and existential inquiry over demographic breadth. It remains visually and structurally tethered to the homogeneous world of the 1950s British establishment. While the film lacks characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity regarding race, gender, and sexuality, it achieves progressive value by deconstructing the emptiness found within rigid social hierarchies and institutional duty. Ultimately, the work functions as a character-driven exploration of finitude rather than a diverse ensemble piece.

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Category Breakdown

Does Living have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses exclusively on the heterosexual and cisgender social structures of 1950s London. There are no visible non-cisgender identities or same-sex relationships.

How does Living portray gender?

Fair

The narrative centers around a male protagonist within a patriarchal structure. Women play secondary or supportive roles in both professional and social hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Living?

Limited

The cast is predominantly white and Anglo-Saxon, reflecting the historical homogeneity of the era. There is no evidence of diverse ethnic perspectives.

How does Living represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film offers a nuanced critique of the British 'stiff upper lip' ethos. It challenges the value of rigid social conformity and traditional stoicism.

Does Living include disability representation?

Limited

A terminal diagnosis drives the plot, but the focus remains on existential mortality. It avoids exploring disability as a primary identity or lived experience.

Present on Screen

Provides a nuanced critique of traditional Western institutions and the emptiness of rigid social conformity.
Uses a terminal diagnosis to effectively explore themes of mortality and human connection.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of non-cisgender identities, same-sex relationships, or diverse ethnic perspectives.
Depicts women primarily in secondary or supportive roles within a patriarchal framework.
Focuses on the existential implications of illness rather than the lived experience of disability.

Official Synopsis

London, 1953. Mr. Williams, a veteran civil servant, is an important cog within the city's bureaucracy as it struggles to rebuild in the aftermath of World War II. Buried under paperwork at the office and lonely at home, his life has long felt empty and meaningless. Then a devastating medical diagnosis forces him to take stock, and to try and grasp some fulfilment before it passes permanently beyond reach.

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