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We obviously know the fate of Mr L. Perhaps that is why we feel an immediate sympathy for him. Perhaps it is because of the way that those around him judge him so quickly, automatically assuming his symptoms of illness are merely his own fault - resulting from his heavy drinking. It is a long, slow journey that Mr L travels during this film. Along the way he is subjected to the casual – and not so casual – cruelties of those there to help him. He is prodded, repeatedly questioned (with the same questions), diagnosed and misdiagnosed. There are also those that are kind and sympathetic; those simply distracted by more urgent seeming cases; those squabbling amongst themselves; and those distracted by mild flirtations or the need for a mobile phone charger. Shot mainly in hand-held long takes, this journey has – along the way – some dark, observational humour which never trivialises the sadness of Mr L’s long farewell. It elicits a kind of guilty laughter, but one which helps us to understand that this grim journey has its rewards for the viewer: Mr L may gradually loses his grip on life, become more and more stripped down to an object, but in our eyes we more and more see the humanity of the character, and the privilege we have in sharing his last hours. It reminds us of all the other Mr L’s out there who are so easily mis-judged and undervalued. Perhaps this is an exacting film to watch – but one that is well worth sticking with.
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