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The Living and the Dead

The Living and the Dead

200683 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Director
Simon Rumley
Starring
Leo Bill, Roger Lloyd Pack, Kate Fahy, Sarah Ball

Lord Donald and Lady Nancy reside in the magnificent but run-down Longleigh House with James, their mentally disabled adult son. Nancy has fallen seriously ill and Donald is preparing to sell the house to raise enough money to pay for an operation. He arranges for the family nurse, Mary, to take care of Nancy while he leaves to tend to the sale. However, James wants to prove to his father that he can look after his mother on his own and decides to lock Mary out of the house. It isn't long before James starts mixing his mother's pills and forgetting to take his own medication, and as the stress of looking after his mother increases, so too does the severity of his own condition.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Living and the Dead?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Living and the Dead streaming on AMC+ and Shudder via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Living and the Dead?

The Living and the Dead earns 5 badges, led by Award Winner and Breakout role.

  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Living and the Dead worth watching?

The Living and the Dead's Midcredits score is the 47th percentile of all films, from 4.1K ratings across 4 sources. 45% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

47th percentile

Better received than 47% of films

45th percentile among Drama46th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)49th
Approval (how many liked it)45th

61 /100

49th percentile of all films

48th percentile among Drama49th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

45% liked it

45th percentile of all films

42nd percentile among Drama42nd percentile among 2000s
45% rated it 7–1055% rated it 1–6

Critics 91% · Audience 59%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 9 wins / 2 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

55th percentile

4.1K ratings across platforms

58th percentile among Drama47th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

Box office

Budget£650K

In British pound, not converted to dollars.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps acknowledge the film's grim, downbeat tone and its focus on mental illness and family tragedy, but they disagree on whether that makes it compelling or unwatchable.

Fans praised

  • Harrowing, deeply disturbing descent into madness
  • Compelling and emotionally devastating story about family and mental illness
  • Bravura central performance from Leo Bill

Detractors panned

  • Confusing, hard-to-follow plot with jarring timeline jumps
  • Dull, depressing, and overhyped
  • No real scares or tension, despite horror marketing

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive80

Decaying mansion and oppressive tone create a haunting atmosphere, though some find it dull

ActingDivisive75

Leo Bill's committed performance as the disturbed son is widely praised, while detractors find it unconvincing

Emotional impactDivisive70

Disturbing and moving portrait of mental illness and familial tragedy, but detractors feel emotionally uninvolved

CharactersDivisive60

Strong emotional investment in the doomed family, but detractors cite lack of connection and motivations

Ending45

Ambiguous, unresolved finale leaves some fans satisfied with its poetic tragedy, others frustrated

Plot and storyDivisive40

Nonlinear, ambiguous narrative praised for its dreamlike quality by fans, but panned as chaotic and confusing by detractors

PacingDivisive30

Slow, repetitive camerawork and drawn-out scenes test patience, especially for detractors

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men even
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Living and the Dead like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneThe film maintains an unrelentingly dark, serious tone, treating its subject with utter sincerity and no levity.
The rideThe film sustains a claustrophobic atmosphere of dread and tension from the moment the son is left alone, with reviews noting it is 'painful' and 'disturbing' without letting up.
StructureThe story is told through a fractured timeline, blending reality and delusion, with jumps in time that disorient the viewer.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

Haunting · 14% of filmsDevastating · 3% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's relentless depiction of mental collapse and tragedy lingers as a deeply disturbing, sorrowful weight.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeJames's untreated schizophrenia and overprotection lead him to inadvertently kill his mother while trying to prove his capability, a tragedy driven by forces beyond his control.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfMentalillness
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% (this title) · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Mental illness · 1% of filmsIsolation · 5% of filmsGrief · 6% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a delusional son who barricades himself with his dying mother, exploring the intersection of mental illness, profound isolation, and anticipatory grief.
StanceThe film presents mental illness and isolation as a terrifying, inescapable descent, warning of the dangers of untreated psychosis and overprotection.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticRuralRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Richard Chester
Settinga decaying English manor house (Longleigh House) in the countryside
MusicThe score underpins the growing dread and disorientation.

Content guide

Is The Living and the Dead okay for kids?

Not Rated

The Living and the Dead is not rated. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (75/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at severe (100/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Germany16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Severe
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (9 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Living and the Dead have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Living and the Dead?

Cast

At least 2 of the 9 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Leo Bill
as James
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Roger Lloyd Pack
as Donald
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kate Fahy
as Nancy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sarah Ball
as Nurse Mary
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Neil Conrich
as Policeman
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Richard Cotton
as Nurse Mike
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Alan Perrin
as Nurse Bob
Richard Syms
as Vicar
Hilary Hodsman
as Auntie Pat

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Living and the Dead?

Movies like The Living and the Dead include The Awakening (2011), Malevolent (2018) and Red White & Blue (2010). Of the 12 closest matches, half are stories about carers and dependents, and several are films about isolation.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its subject: mental illness. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Living and the Dead?

2.2K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: caretaker and dependent. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.