Never Let Me Go Review

Title: Never Let Me GoMPAA Rating: RDirector: Mark RomanekStarring: Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Kiera KnightleyRuntime: 1 hr 43 mins

Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s critically-acclaimed novel of the same name, Never Let Me Go is the story of three young people Kathy (Mulligan), Tommy (Garfield), and Ruth (Knightley) who go to a very special boarding school called Hailsham in a remote area of England. Sheltered from the world, and close to each other these three are raised from infancy within the walls of their the trio are now in their late teens having graduated from the aforementioned Hailsham. Are now on to the real world and it is here they face the biggest challenge…the world. Nieve to its ways and ignorant to its perils the trio are unaware that what lies ahead is a far bigger challenge than any test they faced previously at Hailsham.

What We Think?

Such an interesting premise based on a book that was called both critically and financially. In fact, it was do well received it made many top 100 lists of all time, and Ishiguro hailed as one of the 20th centuries best authors. As for Romanek’s presentation? Well, it’s brilliant. He does as Ishiguro would himself want. He subtly split’s the movie into three sections and each is presented with a beauty that makes each frame almost a work of moving modern art. While beautifully visual, the film is by no means an underdog in substance. The script is easy in and out of its complicated source material. And it by no means makes the grave mistake of confusing its audience with its own complexity.

Our Grade

A-. It’s not perfect and it doesn’t try to be. What it is, is a beautifully rendered adaptation. From screenplay to cinematography right on down to literally production design. I think this is a film that is to be not only seen but experienced. You feel for these characters, and upon learning of their future quickly realize this is more a story of existentialism, and figuring out one's purpose then it is some coming of age story. Along the way, you can feel the love, the pain, the emotion in these characters, an emotional rollercoaster never once stopping to breath. It does so without using traditional quick cuts and fast takes, but instead making the story seem fast while it’s actual moving, and developing quite slowly.