Director: Kevin MacDonald.
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, George MacKay, Tom Holland, Harley Bird.
Running Time: 99 minutes.
Certificate: 15.
It is always hard bringing a book to life, especially one that is told from the first person perspective such as this, however director Kevin MacDonald handles the transition from page to screen tremendously. It helps that the director didn’t allow himself to get to drawn into keeping every aspect of the book, this may alienate some of the die-hard book fans but the film retains the books core message and tone.
Set during a time when Britain is on the brink of war with an unknown threat, the story follows New York brat Daisy as she is shipped off to live with her cousins deep in the heart of the British countryside.
Daisy is played by the more-than-capable Saoirse Ronan, a chameleon of both accents and character development. Upon first meeting her, Daisy is the archetypal snotty teenager who just wants to sit in her room and brood. This starts to change once she arrives at her cousin’s farm wherein she falls in love with both the landscape and Eddie, one of her cousins.
The fact that they are cousins doesn’t take up much of the plot with them quickly accepting that they love each other and nothing else should matter. Their happiness is short-lived however, as Britain is attacked and the lovebirds find themselves split-up. They vow to make their ways back to the farm to be together again and this is when Daisy really comes into her own.
Tasked with getting not only herself, but her youngest cousin Piper, back home, Daisy must rely on her newfound strength and determination during the second half of the film. The tone descends into bleakness, with violence and crime around every bend, and there are several really touching and heartbreaking moments within the second act.
The cinematography and sound design act almost as additional members of cast with they themselves changing as the events unfold and we are plunged into war. The first half of the film sees the colour palette rich and vibrant, with the camera having a playful, carefree flow; which suddenly changes to an almost greyscale palette, with static camera-work feeding the sense of alienation. Similarly the sound design for the first half is a delightful mix of birdsong and summer which transforms into near silence with the occasional cacophony of mechanical sound.
The beauty of the landscape during the first half of the film will leave many feeling nostalgic for their childhood years. HOW I LIVE NOW is a beautiful love-letter to the British countryside, and the healing power within it.
[usr=4] HOW I LIVE NOW is available to buy on DVD or Blu Ray from Monday 10th February.
