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5.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. In Love with Life remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a thing for black-and-white dramas that feel like they were pulled from a time capsule, sure. You'll probably enjoy it if you like stories about grumpy old men learning lessons. If you need pacing faster than a tortoise or modern stakes, you'll probably want to skip this one entirely. It moves at its own speed, which is to say, it takes its sweet time getting anywhere.
The whole premise of a guy losing his teaching gig because he hates sports is actually pretty funny to me. It feels like such a specific, weird hill to die on. You can almost see the professor standing there in his tweed, shouting at a football while everyone else just wants to watch the game.
The park scene. It’s the part where everything starts, and honestly, it’s just nice. It’s got that soft, slightly fuzzy look that makes you feel like you’re sitting in the grass with them. You can tell they put some effort into making it look idyllic, even if the acting is a bit stiff by today's standards.
Then we meet Mr. Morley. He’s the classic 'mean-tempered' archetype, and man, he really commits to the bit. He’s so grumpy it’s almost impressive. Every time he walks into a room, the air just gets a little thinner.
It reminds me a bit of the stuff they used to pull in What Happened to Mary, where the melodrama is dialed up to eleven but everyone acts like it's just a normal Tuesday. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel, it’s just trying to keep the wagon moving.
There is this moment near the middle where the dialogue just drops off for a bit and you’re just watching faces. It’s quiet. Maybe a bit too quiet. You start to notice the background noise, the hum of the film, and you realize how long it’s been since anyone said anything substantial.
It’s not a masterpiece, and it’s certainly not going to change your life. But for a rainy afternoon? You could do worse. It’s just a simple story about people trying to get along, even when they really, really don't want to.
