A big hit at numerous film festivals this year, Mark Romanek returns to the director’s
chair for the first time since ‘One Hour Photo’ to bring to the screen Kazuo Ishiguro’s
celebrated book, ‘Never Let Me Go’.
Set in an alternate Britain, the film centres on three friends- good-hearted Kathy
(Carey Mulligan), flighty Ruth (Keira Knightley) and angry-yet-misunderstood
Tommy (Andrew Garfield). The trio are all students at a special school, where contact
with the outside world is prohibited. However, when the students learn that they
are in fact clones, being kept alive until such time as when their ‘real’ selves need
transplants (or ‘donations’), all three try to fight to avoid their death sentence.
As with the book, the premise is riveting, and the fate that is awaiting the protagonists
looms over you throughout. A side effect of this is that the film’s message is muddied,
given the bleakness of the subject matter, and is perhaps less clear than in the book.
Nonetheless, American filmmaker Romanek catches Britain perfectly, albeit an
alternative context, and the story is too gripping to risk you being at all bored. In
particular, this is a film that will leave you wondering what you would have done, a
parting gift that surely is the mark of any decent drama.
One glance at the cast of the film reads like a who’s who of young British cinema-
Mulligan, Garfield and of course Knightley have all made a big splash in Tinsel
Town and, as such, it may be the last time you see them before their fees get too high.
Mulligan and Garfield are wonderful, playing the doomed couple with an understated
dignity combined with raw emotion. Knightley is at times a little melodramatic, but
solid as the not entirely trustworthy Ruth.
Bleakness aside, it’s an engaging and affecting drama from a director who can bring
out the darker sides of humanity. The young cast does well, and whilst it may not fill
you with much hope for the future, it’s themes and outcome will stay with you for
long after the credits roll.
Never Let Me Go is in cinemas from February 11.
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