John, a 35-year-old window cleaner, has dedicated his life to bringing up his 4-year-old son, Michael, after the child's mother left them soon after giving birth. When John is given only a few months left to live, he attempts to find a new, perfect family for Michael, determined to shield him from the terrible reality of the situation.
Acting
James Norton's restrained grief will wreck you.
Writing
Dialogue so sparse it feels stolen from real life.
Direction
Pasolini lets silence do the screaming.
Director
Uberto Pasolini
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Uberto Pasolini (yes, related to THAT Pasolini) cast Daniel Lamont after an open call with no acting experience — his naturalism opposite Norton is entirely untrained.
The film deliberately never shows John's illness physically; he remains capable-looking until the end, subverting the 'noble suffering' trope and forcing us to witness invisible decay.
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