Breathe tells the true story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, an adventurous couple whose lives are thrown into turmoil when Robin is struck down by polio at the young age of 28.

With a storyline like this, you might be forgiven for thinking that this would be a very depressing film to watch. On the contrary, while it is very sad at times, Breathe provides the viewer with a very uplifting and thoroughly entertaining cinema experience. It is a joy to watch, with an excellent screenplay, great cinematography, and a love story that is heartwarming, funny, and sometimes even hilarious. Above all, it’s an inspiring film with an important message: it teaches us how to tackle adversity head-on to ensure that we get the most out of our lives.

The acting by the fine cast is consistently very good, but it’s Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield in the leading roles that are the most impressive. Breathe is a triumph for first time director Andy Serkis and should be a favourite of many this year.