Breathe, the “quietly powerful” drama starring Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy, is leaving Prime Video in the coming days.
The 2017 British film is based on the real-life story of activist Robin Cavendish (played by Garfield), who became paralysed from the neck down at the age of 28 after being diagnosed with polio.
Despite only being given three months to live, Robin – with the help of his “devoted” and “determined” wife Diana (Foy) – sought to “transcend” his diagnosis, with the figure becoming a prominent advocate for the rights of people living with disabilities.
Directed by Andy Serkis and co-starring Hugh Bonneville, Breathe is currently available to stream in the UK and Ireland on Prime Video, but viewers only have a week to watch the film as it is being removed from the service on 1 July.
Breathe received generally positive reviews from critics, with the film currently possessing an approval rating of 67% on Rotten Tomatoes from 166 reviews. In the site’s critical consensus, the leading pair were deemed “well-matched” for the “heartwarming” tone.
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“There’s a hint of comforting, chocolate-box, Sunday-night TV here, but it’s delivered via such quietly powerful performances and with such hope that it’s hard to resist,” wrote Empire Magazine in a three-star review.
“Robin’s story is certainly a tale of near-triumph over adversity, and the director manages to keep cheap sentimentality at bay,” wrote The Australian, while IndieWire noted the film’s “jovial mood” and “life-affirming embrace”.
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“Part exuberant love story, part great escape adventure, this is an old-fashioned tale of triumph over adversity that refuses – like its protagonists – to succumb to confinement,” wrote The Observer, while The Sydney Morning Herald described Garfield’s performance as “eerily skilful”.
“An affecting account of the quiet courage needed to battle the deadly spores of discrimination and condescension that came with polio,” remarked The Guardian, while The Independent said that the story was told with “energy and optimism”.
Breathe is streaming on Prime Video until 1 July.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.