Without knowing much of his back story, or any plans for his future, we experience the day-to-day existence of home care nurse, David (Tim Roth). Extremely compassionate toward his terminally ill patients, he devotes himself to their care and comfort, forming a special kind of intimacy that’s hard to understand from the outside.
But for all of David’s efficiency and dedication with his clients, his personal life is a wreck. He’s healing from some sort of trauma, isolated and depressed, secretly needing his clients as much as they need him.
I found this film to be deeply moving, not least of all because of Tim Roth’s strong performance. He brings dignity but also humanity to the role. We slip easily into the shoes of both care giver and the cared for, and both are unsettling experiences.
Director Michel Franco keeps us grounded in each moment by omitting a musical score. There are no distractions to be found in Chronic.
Franco’s camera, conservative in movement and breadth, penetrates to the fragile core of life, and stays beyond the last breath. The stillness of the picture forces us to feel each second ticking by, life slipping slowly between the fingers, blood pumping toward its finale. Franco’s tone matches Roth’s reserved performance, the colours subdued, the sound restrained. This proximity to death and the realism of what’s on screen is uncomfortable. You might even wonder if it’s worth going through this hardship, but that’s exactly how you should be feeling: to be the nurse in a palliative situation is much worse; to be the patient, unthinkable. Until it isn’t. Until one day it’s you, or your mother, or your spouse. And that’s what’s most disquieting. Michel Franco is voyeuristic as a director, and we sense the detachment, and its necessity.
Chronic is cold, bold, and a stark reminder that in the end, death comes for us all.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
This looks like it would be a tough movie to watch.
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Oh my gosh, this sounds good! I’m definitely adding it to my list. Great review as always Jay!💁🏻
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I think I’m too close to it to want to see this!
BTW was totally distracted by the cartoon birds thing that’s on your avatar head. WTF?
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Sounds like a tough one, Jay. I’ll add it to the list, but it might take a while to sit down and watch.
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I loved Tim Roth in “Lie To Me.” Not sure I could see this right now. My b-i-l is in Hospice Care at the moment. We’re hoping he makes it through Christmas at least.
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This sounds really good but not sure I can watch it right now since my mom is in long term care. I see this several times per week since I visit her often. Some of the elderly nev get visitors so their main support are the PSW’s and the nurses. I saw one lady there who has been there since my mom went in. She just turned 100 but she looks so frail and I think her end is near. It’s such a shame because in the spring, she was walking around, she looked good but now she is in a wheelchair and looks so, so frail.
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Ironically since this is what I do for a living I’m drawn to see how close to reality this movie will be. Thanks G-uno
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I’d like very much to see this, thanks for the review
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Music is a way to express emotion on film. Perhaps that’s part of why this was so disquieting.
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Jay,
Mmmmmm, part of me says “yuk” …I can’t stand most medical-drama.
RR
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This is definitely my kind of movie, thanks for the great review and I’m a big fan of Tim Roth. I’ll probably cry my eyes out as it will bring back all sorts of memories of events in my own family.
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