Still Life
A solitary council worker arranging funerals for strangers discovers, through one final case, the possibility of becoming part of the living world himself.
Overview
A lonely council worker embarks on a transformative journey to connect with the living and the dead.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- compassionate
- quiet
- reflective evening
- quiet weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film sensitive and poignant, with Eddie Marsan’s restrained performance carrying its compassionate portrait of loneliness despite some reservations about its sentimentality.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
John May investigates the next of kin of people who die alone and arranges dignified funerals for them.
John’s council work, meticulous routines, and compassionate attention to strangers anchor the film’s understated emotional register.
The loss of John’s job and his final case propel him beyond his carefully controlled existence.
John’s council department treats deaths as administrative cases while he insists on personal investigation and respectful ceremony.
Films like Still Life, and why
A Man Called Ove
Shared compassionate drama, loneliness theme, understated humor, and a solitary protagonist seeking human connection.
The Straight Story
Comparable intimate humanist tone, quiet emotional observation, and focus on an isolated person gradually reconnecting with life.
The Visitor
Shares melancholic warmth, contemplative pacing, and a preoccupation with death, memory, and overlooked lives.
Local Hero
Like Still Life, it combines gentle comedy drama with grief, social invisibility, and unexpected emotional renewal.
Movie Details
- Director
- Uberto Pasolini
- Release Date
- 2013-11-28
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (416)
Cast
- Eddie Marsan
- Joanne Froggatt
- Karen Drury
- Andrew Buchan
- Neil D'Souza
- Tim Potter
- Michael Elkin
- Paul Anderson
- Bronson Webb
- Lee Nicholas Harris
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Still Life about?
- A solitary council worker arranging funerals for strangers discovers, through one final case, the possibility of becoming part of the living world himself.
- What is Still Life like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Still Life as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Still Life violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Still Life.
- What did critics think of Still Life?
- Critics broadly found the film sensitive and poignant, with Eddie Marsan’s restrained performance carrying its compassionate portrait of loneliness despite some reservations about its sentimentality.
- Which films are like Still Life?
- Films with a similar feel include A Man Called Ove, The Straight Story, The Visitor, and Local Hero.
- How long is Still Life?
- Still Life runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Still Life?
- In United States, Still Life is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
