Great performances from Nighy and MacDonald

Kelly MacDonald and Bill Nighy were amazing in this film. The performances were nuanced and subtle, and the emotion felt 100% real. From their very first meeting, I was hooked. I felt like these were two real people. Two lonely, kind, intelligent people, with self-respect and restraint. It was beautiful to watch as the relationship developed slowly. The film didn't need a lot of sex or over-the-top melodrama to keep you interested. There was an understated emotional intensity. The actors conveyed their emotions through their body language and facial expressions.

This role was the polar opposite of Bill Nighy's work in Love Actually or any other film I've seen him in. It caused me to really respect him as an actor. Ever since I saw this film for the first time, I've been following Kelly MacDonald's career. Her range is strong too, especially when you contrast this role with her role in No Country for Old Men.