Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

I Am Breathing (2013) movie poster

Characters & Themes

I Am Breathing (2013) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2013 · 72 mins · English
Directed by
Morag McKinnon, Emma Davie
Starring
Louise Platt, Lynne Platt, Oscar Platt, Neil Platt

Neil Platt, a 34-year-old facing Motor Neurone Disease, confronts his mortality by planning his own funeral. Paralyzed from the neck down and with only five months to live, he contemplates the meaning of life and the frustrations of everyday tasks. He begins writing a letter for his infant son, hoping to offer guidance and answers to questions his child might have about him in the future. Through his reflections, Neil seeks to connect with his son and leave a lasting legacy.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Characters explained (2)
  2. 2 Where & when it takes place
  3. 3 Themes & meaning (3)
  4. 4 Character & meaning questions
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Every angle

2 main characters · contains spoilers

I Am Breathing Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of I Am Breathing (2013), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Neil Platt (Himself)

    Neil is a British man whose daily life is transformed by ALS. Despite progressive physical decline, his humor remains intact and his outlook becomes more reflective as he documents his final months. He narrates the film through a direct, unflinching blog, shaping the viewer’s understanding of life’s value.

    • 🎗️ Protagonist
    • 🧭 Narrator
    • 🗒️ Blogger
    • 👨‍👦 Father
  • Oscar Platt

    Oscar Platt is Neil's baby son, the future recipient of his letters and memories. His presence anchors the documentary as Neil aims to document meaningful moments for his child. The film uses Oscar's existence to highlight the fragility and value of everyday life.

    • 👶 Child
    • 🧡 Family
    • 🧭 Legacy

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:32

Was this helpful?

Setting

Where and When Does I Am Breathing Take Place?

The setting of I Am Breathing (2013): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Early 21st century

Takes place over roughly one year as ALS progressively incapacitates Neil Platt. The period reflects modern attitudes toward illness, family, and personal storytelling. The narration is anchored by Neil's blog and memory box, grounding the events in a contemporary context.

Location

United Kingdom

Set in the United Kingdom, the film follows a British family through the intimate lens of a personal documentary. It centers on home-based scenes that reveal how daily life continues amid a life-altering diagnosis. The UK setting contributes to the film's straightforward, down-to-earth storytelling.

  • 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
  • 🎬 Documentary
  • 🏡 Everyday life

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:32

Was this helpful?

3 major themes

I Am Breathing Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is I Am Breathing (2013) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Resilience

    The film centers on Neil's enduring humor and adaptability in the face of a terminal illness. It shows how everyday joys—love, friendship, and the sense of life—are preserved by determination. The narrative demonstrates how resilience redefines what it means to be alive.

  • Memory

    Neil's letters and memory box, paired with blog posts, turn experience into a lasting record for his son Oscar. The film emphasizes memory as a tool to communicate meaning beyond spoken words. It invites viewers to reflect on what people choose to leave behind.

  • Joy and Suffering

    The story blends moments of laughter with devastating illness, highlighting the complexity of human life. It shows how relationships adapt under strain, and how humor can coexist with hardship. This duality makes the film both intimate and universal.

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:32

Was this helpful?

Character & theme questions

I Am Breathing Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about I Am Breathing (2013): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is I Am Breathing set?

The film is set in the United Kingdom, following a British family through intimate home-based scenes. The UK setting contributes to the film's straightforward, documentary approach, capturing daily life as it continues amid a life-altering diagnosis.

  • united kingdom
  • setting
  • british family
  • home documentary
Q2

What time period does I Am Breathing take place in?

The documentary takes place in the early 21st century, spanning roughly one year as Neil Platt's ALS progresses. The modern setting reflects contemporary attitudes toward illness, family, and personal storytelling, with Neil documenting his experience through blog posts.

  • early 21st century
  • modern era
  • time period
  • contemporary
Q3

What does I Am Breathing say about resilience?

The film explores how Neil Platt maintains his humor and adaptability despite progressive physical decline from ALS. His resilience is shown through everyday joys, love, friendship, and appreciation for life, demonstrating how determination preserves what it means to be alive even in the face of terminal illness.

  • resilience
  • determination
  • terminal illness
  • humor
  • positivity
Q4

How does I Am Breathing explore memory?

Through Neil's letters, memory box, and blog posts, the documentary turns his experience into a lasting record for his infant son Oscar. The film emphasizes memory as a tool to communicate meaning beyond spoken words, exploring what people choose to leave behind for future generations.

  • memory
  • legacy
  • letters
  • son
  • memory box
  • blog
Q5

How does I Am Breathing balance joy and suffering?

The film blends moments of laughter with the devastating reality of illness, highlighting the complexity of human life. It shows how relationships adapt under strain and how humor can coexist with hardship, creating a narrative that is both intimate and universal.

  • joy
  • suffering
  • humor
  • illness
  • relationships
  • bittersweet
Q6

Who is Neil Platt in the documentary?

Neil Platt is a British man in his mid-30s whose daily life is transformed by Motor Neurone Disease (ALS). Despite progressive paralysis from the neck down, his humor remains intact and his outlook becomes increasingly reflective as he documents his final months through a blog, shaping viewers' understanding of life's value.

  • neil platt
  • protagonist
  • main character
  • als
  • motor neurone disease
Q7

Who is Oscar Platt in I Am Breathing?

Oscar Platt is Neil's infant son, the intended recipient of his letters and memories. His presence anchors the documentary as Neil aims to document meaningful moments for his child. The film uses Oscar's existence to highlight the fragility and value of everyday life.

  • oscar platt
  • son
  • child
  • baby
  • family
Q8

What is the tone of I Am Breathing?

The documentary has a predominantly bittersweet tone. While the subject matter is emotionally devastating, a young father facing a progressive fatal illness, Neil's humor and his project to create a legacy and communicate with his son introduce powerful elements of love and hope that counterbalance the tragedy.

  • tone
  • bittersweet
  • emotional
  • documentary style
  • tone
Q9

What message does I Am Breathing convey about mortality?

The film confronts mortality through Neil's reflections on life's meaning and his determination to leave a lasting legacy for his son. Rather than focusing on death itself, it emphasizes how people can find purpose and connection even when facing terminal illness, inviting viewers to reflect on what truly matters.

  • mortality
  • death
  • meaning of life
  • legacy
  • terminal illness
  • purpose
Q10

What is the central father-son relationship in I Am Breathing?

The documentary centers on Neil Platt's relationship with his infant son Oscar. Neil writes letters and creates a memory box hoping to offer guidance and answers to questions his child might have about him in the future, using his final months to connect with his son and leave a lasting legacy.

  • father
  • son
  • relationship
  • family
  • bond
  • letters

Movie threads

More Movies Like I Am Breathing, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes I Am Breathing tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Intimate Portraits of Facing Mortality like I Am Breathing

Profoundly moving stories of individuals confronting terminal illness or imminent death. If you were moved by the raw honesty of I Am Breathing, explore other movies that offer a similar intimate look at confronting terminal illness. These films share a focus on personal legacy, emotional weight, and the bittersweet reflection on a life well-lived.

  • intimate
  • tragic
  • heartfelt
  • reflective
  • sad
  • wise
  • Tone: bittersweet, reflective
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically follow a linear or reflective journey centered on a character who has received a life-altering diagnosis or is facing imminent death. The plot is driven by their internal processing, relationships with loved ones, and efforts to leave behind a legacy or find closure.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they prioritize emotional authenticity over plot-driven action. They share a heavy emotional weight, a bittersweet tone balancing sadness with hope, and a focus on the universal human experience of confronting the end of life.

Bittersweet Legacies and Final Messages like in I Am Breathing

Stories centered on characters creating a final gift or message for loved ones. Fans of I Am Breathing's central theme of a father writing to his son will find similar emotional journeys here. Discover movies that explore the powerful act of leaving a final message, blending profound sadness with the hope inherent in connecting with the future.

  • heartfelt
  • nostalgic
  • melancholic
  • hopeful
  • intimate
  • wise
  • Tone: heartfelt, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, reflective
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The defining pattern is a character, aware of their limited time, undertakes a project to create something lasting for someone they care about. This act of creation provides a focus for their remaining days and serves as the emotional core of the story, leading to a conclusion that is sad but infused with love and meaning.

Why they belong together: These movies share the specific narrative device of a 'legacy project.' They create a similar bittersweet emotional mix, combining the heaviness of loss with the uplifting power of love and memory. The pacing is often steady, allowing the viewer to absorb the emotional weight of the character's mission.

Every angle

I Am Breathing (2013) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about I Am Breathing in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app