Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Breathe

  • 2017
  • PG-13
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
26K
YOUR RATING
Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy in Breathe (2017)
The inspiring true love story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease. Their heartwarming celebration of human possibility marks the directorial debut of Andy Serkis.
Play trailer0:31
11 Videos
90 Photos
Medical DramaBiographyDramaRomance

The inspiring true love story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease.The inspiring true love story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease.The inspiring true love story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease.

  • Director
    • Andy Serkis
  • Writer
    • William Nicholson
  • Stars
    • Andrew Garfield
    • Claire Foy
    • Hugh Bonneville
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    26K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Andy Serkis
    • Writer
      • William Nicholson
    • Stars
      • Andrew Garfield
      • Claire Foy
      • Hugh Bonneville
    • 105User reviews
    • 146Critic reviews
    • 51Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 5 nominations total

    Videos11

    Now Playing
    Trailer 0:31
    Now Playing
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:51
    Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:51
    Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:39
    Official Trailer
    Breathe
    Trailer 2:34
    Breathe
    BREATHE U.S. Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 2:41
    BREATHE U.S. Theatrical Trailer
    Breathe: What Are We Waiting For
    Clip 1:11
    Breathe: What Are We Waiting For

    Photos90

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 84
    View Poster

    Top cast62

    Edit
    Andrew Garfield
    Andrew Garfield
    • Robin Cavendish
    Claire Foy
    Claire Foy
    • Diana Cavendish
    Hugh Bonneville
    Hugh Bonneville
    • Teddy Hall
    Ed Speleers
    Ed Speleers
    • Colin Campbell
    • (as Edward Speleers)
    Tom Hollander
    Tom Hollander
    • Bloggs Blacker…
    David Butler
    • Estate Manager
    Ben Lloyd-Hughes
    Ben Lloyd-Hughes
    • Dr Don McQueen
    Miranda Raison
    Miranda Raison
    • Mary Dawney
    Camilla Rutherford
    Camilla Rutherford
    • Katherine Robertson
    Andre Jacobs
    Andre Jacobs
    • Governor
    Terry Norton
    Terry Norton
    • Governor's Wife
    Charles Streeter
    Charles Streeter
    • RAF Lyneham Medic
    Penny Downie
    Penny Downie
    • Tid
    Amit Shah
    Amit Shah
    • Dr Khan
    Jonathan Hyde
    Jonathan Hyde
    • Dr Entwistle
    Emily Bevan
    Emily Bevan
    • Nurse Margaret
    Roger Ashton-Griffiths
    Roger Ashton-Griffiths
    • Hospital Chaplain
    David Wilmot
    David Wilmot
    • Paddy
    • Director
      • Andy Serkis
    • Writer
      • William Nicholson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews105

    7.225.7K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    9Padreviews

    Oscar winning material 9/10

    Not perfect but pretty damn close to perfection .

    I've said it before the best films are based on real events . Andy Garfield deserves the best actor Oscar . This one will make you laugh , cry and smile .

    One man's fight for survival against the odds with the loving support of his wife and son who incidentally produced the film .

    Excellent casting , acting and directing by Serkis . Beautiful photography a film that ought to be depressing was actually somewhat uplifting and you'll want to see it again and look up the real story .

    A British cinematic masterpiece worthy of an Oscar nomination.

    Pad.A 9/10
    rogerdarlington

    Well-made and life-affirming

    Breathing is the most natural thing on earth, right? But when British tea broker Robin Cavendish contracted polio in Kenya in 1958, he found that he was paralysed from the neck down and could not breathe without the constant support of a mechanical ventilator. This true story is told with Andrew Garfield as Robin and Claire Foy as his wife Diana, both of whom give fine performances of nuanced emotion.

    Inevitably the film will be compared with "The Theory Of Everything" but it is no bad thing to be reminded that people with disabilities can achieve remarkable things. In Stephen Hawking's case, he was still able to make great contributions to theoretical physics; in the instance of Robin Cavendish, he transformed the treatment of those with paralysis, both in the UK and much wider.

    For first time director Andy Serkis, this is clearly a very personal project. His professional partner and producer on the film is Jonathan Cavendish, the son of Robin and Diana, while Serkis's sister has multiple sclerosis. Serkis is known for his acclaimed acting in performance-capture roles, but the only major use of special effects here is to enable Tom Hollander to represent both of Diana's identical twin brothers.

    At the end especially, the heart strings are well and truly plucked, but it is gratifying to see such a well-made and life-affirming work on our screens.
    8niutta-enrico

    Breathe: a British top-notch Production.

    If I may give an advice to you, don't read anything about this film. Just watch it: the less you know, the more you'll be wonderfully surprised.

    Perhaps all you'd like to know is that it's a British top-notch production, based on a really interesting (true) story, with a flawless script and an excellent cast. A very entertaining 112 minutes.

    And yes: Tom Hollander is playing the Blacker twins. Both of them. And they sing together 'Goodbye-ee'.

    Enjoy.
    8DawnOfCreation

    A beautiful story about true love!

    English isn't my native language, so forgive me in advance:)

    I loved this movie. I was impressed by the acting skills of Andrew Garfield, totally believable. Claire Foy did a great job too, I think she's a very good actress, I have to admit that at times I found it difficult to not see Queen Elisabeth in her.

    The story line was a bit rushed though, their relationship didn't really develop on the screen and for me it was hard to believe she really loved him in the very beginning of the film. But towards the end it was totally believable. One thing I missed was a great score, the music was almost absent, they should have asked Rachel Portman for the soundtrack (Never Let Me Go). But hey, that's just my opinion.

    I shed some tears at the end.. It's a story about true love! Go watch it, you won't regret it!
    7Lugo1989

    Inspiring story nicely presented

    Breathe is an inspiring and heartwarming story about a man diagnosed with the disease that forever changed his life and the lives of people around him. It is impossible to imagine being trapped in your own body and still somehow stay positive, motivated and change the lives of the people who are equally unfortunate..

    Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield did a great job, as well as the supporting cast. The film could maybe have a bigger emotional impact and leave viewers with a bit more after watching it. Breathe is still a solid film with nice photography, pace and the story itself.

    Recommended to everyone who like drama film, love stories and films about the triumph of the human spirit.

    More like this

    99 Homes
    7.1
    99 Homes
    Brooklyn
    7.5
    Brooklyn
    Boy A
    7.6
    Boy A
    We Live in Time
    7.0
    We Live in Time
    Never Let Me Go
    7.1
    Never Let Me Go
    A United Kingdom
    6.9
    A United Kingdom
    On Chesil Beach
    6.3
    On Chesil Beach
    The Light Between Oceans
    7.2
    The Light Between Oceans
    The Zookeeper's Wife
    7.0
    The Zookeeper's Wife
    Testament of Youth
    7.2
    Testament of Youth
    Breathe
    4.2
    Breathe
    The Ruins of Empires
    The Ruins of Empires

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Andrew Garfield stayed in character in between takes. Claire Foy would even scratch his itches.
    • Goofs
      They have a scene of them driving down the road in the van that shows the date 1965 and the song in the background is of Lee Marvin singing "I was born under a Wandering Star". That song came out with the movie Paint My Wagon in 1969 four years later.
    • Quotes

      Robin Cavendish: Let me ask you, when you look at me, what is it that you see? Do you see a creature that's barely alive? Or do you see a man that's escaped the confines of the hospital wards? Now, I have a machine under this very seat, and it breathes for me. And at home, I have a ventilator by my bed. I also have a remarkable group of friends. And most vitally I have my wife. But, as you see, I can do nothing for myself. And yet here I am. When I first became paralysed, I wanted to die. Yeah, I wanted to die, I did. But my wife wouldn't let me. She told me I had to live. To see our son grow up. So I went on living... because she told me to. Because of her, really. And with her. And for her. And every day since then, I've accepted the risk of dying because I don't want to just survive. I want to truly live. So, I implore you, you go back to your hospitals and you tell your disabled patients that they too can truly live. You all have this power to open the gates and set them free.

    • Crazy credits
      The movie starts, even before the production company credits, with the message: "What follows is true..."
    • Connections
      Featured in Projector: Breathe (2017)
    • Soundtracks
      True Love
      Written by Cole Porter

      Performed by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly from High Society (1956)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ20

    • How long is Breathe?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 27, 2017 (United Kingdom)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Switzerland
    • Official sites
      • Official Site
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Una Razón Para Vivir
    • Filming locations
      • Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • BBC Film
      • British Film Institute (BFI)
      • Embankment Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $490,131
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $22,285
      • Oct 15, 2017
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,130,787
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 58 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.76 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy in Breathe (2017)
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for Breathe (2017)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.