Life Goes On

Life Goes On is a charming yet poignant short film that makes effective use of its 19-minute runtime. The film directed by Daniel Audritt and Kat Butterfield follows Bill (David Bradley) as he is confined to a hospice bed ready to die. However, every time Bill dies, the day resets, and he is trapped in an endless loop much to his exasperation.

One of the biggest strengths of the film is the ability of both the direction and David Bradley’s performance to find the balance between humour and tenderness. Despite the dour subject matter, there are quite a good few laughs in the film that do not feel forced but feel like interactions that most people would see in a hospital. The tone is balanced out with a simple yet effective narrative that does not rely on melodrama to convey sadness but rather authenticity. For me this is where the film works best and why I liked it so much. Every interaction Bill has feels lived-in and real, no matter if it is with a nurse, his daughter or some of the other patients. Most of the interactions Bill has are brief apart from his relationship with fellow patient Lizzie (Maggie Steed), which develops throughout the film. David Bradley’s and Maggie Steed’s chemistry adds another element of warmth to the film.

The story unfolds with patience, never feeling rushed or that too many ideas were crammed into the short runtime. Every range of emotion from human warmth to hope to grief is delicately told. I found the editing to also be one of the biggest strengths, as scenes are carefully allowed to breathe, whilst the infinite time loop never gets confusing or leaves the audience lost on how many days Bill has been in the time loop. The cinematography by design is nothing over the top, with soft natural light again playing into how authentic this film feels.

The use of close-up shots on Bill and some of the other characters to portray their inner emotions was clever and not overdone. I also enjoyed the sequence where time stops still and thought that added a nice visual flair and change of pace.

As much as I loved this film, my main criticism was that I wanted slightly more from the side characters. Whilst the pacing of the film is spot on and the 19-minute runtime is made full use of, I thought that the side characters could have had more layers and depth with an extended runtime.

Overall Life Goes On is a life-affirming and reflective short film that uses the classic time loop concept in a fresh way that focuses on acceptance rather than trying to break the loop. Powered by a nuanced performance by David Bradley, the film will engage the audiences with a sharp script that blends humour and sadness to create an emotionally satisfying film.