MOVIE OVERVIEW
What happens to those who die alone? While Still Life is certainly not a documentary, it does take the audience on a trip that allows them to discover the somewhat mechanical approach governments take to determining a simple question – Who is the next of kin? Still Life brings this concept to life by showcasing the journey of one John May, played by Eddie Marsan. Living with a distinct obsession with the need to organize, John pours this into his work with the government until one day he learns of his department’s newest approach to cutting costs. The audience gets to watch John pursue his one last case before moving on in life, wherever that may take him.
THE GOOD
Still Life does something incredibly well in an almost subtle, unnoticed way: the cinematography is sublime. As for the subject matter itself, perhaps the most alluring part comes near the end of it when John approaches the end of his own life. There are no explosions and intense scenes to be found in Still Life, but the final moments of the film will grip you emotionally even if you weren’t a fan of the overall experience.
THE BAD
As I've mentioned before, Still Life is a very calm and very quiet film. This can be a big drawing point for some but for others it can make it a little boring. Although I fall into the former category, I found that there were several scenes that simply moved too slowly or failed to have an emotional impact. At times it felt as though information was being given to the audience without any context, agenda, or expected result. Unfortunately, this was quite the drawback in my eyes and reduced what Still Life could have been.