Sometimes I feel a bit silly for learning the plot of an upcoming movie by reading the novel it was based on - NEVER LET ME GO was one of those times.
The film is truly haunting, as we are only given slivers of truth to carry us through most of the story. What's worse, is that it feels like these characters are only given slivers of truth themselves. As one rebellious teacher puts it to her rather young class "You have been told, and not told". The sad souls of these students burns bright in their eyes...but why would that be, when they all seem destined for such a dismal fate?
The three young leads in the film - Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield - all give very heartbreaking performances. Interestingly, this story being what it is, they'll all break your heart for different reasons.
Director Mark Romanek has been away from Hollywood for eight long years, and he makes up for lost time with NEVER LET ME GO in the way that the whole film has a subtle visual splendour. Truthfully, if I didn't know better, I'd swear that every shot was captured by available light.
NEVER LET ME GO is a film that I'll be doing a full review on very soon, so I won't say too much more here. I do feel slightly foolish to have read the book so close to the film, but it didn't take any of the edge this sad and splendid film.
NEVER LET ME GO opens in theatres next Friday, September 24th
Saturday, September 18, 2010
TIFF Review: NEVER LET ME GO
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
12 comments:
I really want to watch this one. Altough its a bit strange to cast Keira Knightly as a highschool student...I'm glad to hear that you liked it and am looking forward to the full review!
It's between this film and The Tourist that I'm most looking forward to this holiday season. Please post your full review of this movie soon.
@ Vanessa... By the time Knightley/Mulligan/Garfield show up they are all supposed to be the age of college freshmen or so. Do check it out and look for a full review next weekend.
@ Blake... Wow, interesting toss-up. Just curious where this film is concerned - did you read the book?
I haven't read the book. But Can't get enough of Carey Mulligan or Andrew Garfield. Plus, I like melancholic Brit films.
Just came back from watching this. Thanks for the recommendation, I loved it! Review coming soon...
Look forward to the review, can't wait to see this! Glad it works as an adaptation; a real shame Norweigan Wood doesn't live up to expectations as I absolutely loved the novel.
Looking forward to this review! It seems to be a somewhat divisive film in terms of critical reception.
Was going to see this over the weekend, but the weekend got away from me. Will see it Wednesday and will hopefully finish the book today.
Good stuff, strange you just read the book too, glad to have Romanek back though.
@ Blake... If you love you some Mulligan & Garfield, you are in for a beautiful night at the movies.
@ vanessa... Very happy to recommend it for ya. I'll keep my eyes peeled for your review, my full post on this film will be going up this Friday.
@ Mr T... It's a difficult thing to adapt great books isn't it? I know Fletch has spent much of 2010 less-than-impressed with the Millennium Trilogy adaptations.
@ Castor... I'm starting to believe that a lot of really great films divide critics. Spent much of the summer renting dvd's that I loved that neither critics nor audiences quite understood.
@ Aiden... Lookin' forward to reading your thoughts on it. And if anyone knows about time getting away from them...it's me.
I read this book largely because Kurt from Row Three was talking about the movie months and months ago when they were previewing 2010 for the Cinecast. It's a pretty good read - though I don't think it the GREAT NOVEL that Time or whoever has deemed it to be - and I look forward to seeing what Romanek does with it. It's certainly an intriguing and heartbreaking story.
On that note - for those that have not read the book, don't see the trailer! It may be out of context, but I think it gives waaaaay too much away. The twist in the novel is one you can see coming from a 1000 miles away - no need to give yourself a head start.
@ Fletch... I might have enjoyed the book a smidgen more than you did, but you're bang-on to say that if people haven't exposed themselves to this story already, that they are best not to.
I still don't understand why some of those details were included in the trailer.
Oh, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book - it's a pretty sweet setup, I just don't think he's all that tremendous of a writer. It's hard to tell sometimes if an author is doing something on purpose as a part of the reading experience, but it was very repetitious in the way it was written - every chapter (and seemingly) paragraph ended the same way, with some weak attempt at a cliff-hanger/segue ("and that reminds of the time that Tommy and I walked out to the lake.", etc.).
You can see my takes (as they progressed) in old State of the Cabinses.
Post a Comment