Review of How I Live Now (2013) by Adam D — 10 Oct 2013

A remake of an award-winning book, the movie covers a world that could very easily become a reality, but hopefully only under exceptional circumstances. Set against the backdrop of a worsening world political situation, Saoirse Ronan's Daisy, a New-York teenager with a chip on her shoulder, is dropped into a world that could not be further from what she is used to - the British countryside. She has promised herself that she will push her boundaries and get out of her comfort zone, not knowing that the journey that awaits her will require her to push herself further out of said comfort zone than perhaps she was intending, and help her younger cousins at the same time.

Despite its genre, the movie was actually remarkably artistic - not just in the beautiful countryside that is so tragically spoilt by the outbreak of a massive global conflict, but also in its portrayal of the nature of war. Notably, the enemy is not identified once, beyond the fact that they are "terrorists." Our only interactions with them in the movie could imply that they are anarchists, but this is mere speculation. And it is not told from the military point of view, who might be used to threats like this, but rather from the point of view of the civilians, whose lives have been torn apart.

I found Saoirse Ronan's performance to be stellar. Although I felt that the moody side to her character was a little ham-fisted, she definitely captured the essence of a neglected teenager who misses her mother, feels like misfortune follows her around and grows to feel love in all its intensity. George MacKay, meanwhile, played an introverted but incredibly strong-willed teenager who can bring out the best in a seemingly selfish and moody American teenager brilliantly. And there was no indication that Tom Holland and Harley Bird's characters were around merely as irritating supporting characters, because they performed their roles brilliantly.