Never Let Me Go ~~1/2

Ultimately disappointing quasi-sci-fi imagining of the lives and loves of three school friends who grow up in an alternate world in which society expects the ultimate sacrifice from a chosen few. Too vague? Well, I can’t be expected to ruin the story for you but I will say this…

Carey Mulligan (Kathy), Keira Knightly (Ruth) and Andrew Garfield (Tommy), as the grown up versions of their characters, are brilliant, but I expected no less, whilst the younger actors portraying the friends were pretty brilliant, too. Especially the young Kathy - watch out for Izzy Meikle-Small in the future…

This is a weird little story which draws on the multiple themes of love, loss, fate, expectation, duty and the idea of selflessly giving away parts of yourself to others, including your heart.

Growing up together in a seemingly ‘normal’ boarding school during the 1980’s, the three young characters are presented through both the eyes and narration of Kathy, a rather pragmatic but inquisitive loner. Her story-telling throughout is depressingly astute and accepting, no matter what is happening to her, and in this alternative universe, I suppose one should expect no less. However, once I truly picked up on what lay ahead for the students of the school, her narration jarred significantly with my own experiences and expectations. I found it very difficult to accept Kathy’s acquiescence towards her future fate. And I think, for me, therein lies the problem regarding general ‘enjoyment’ of the whole film.

Although I had really been looking forward to this film for what seemed an eternity, from initial trailer way back when to actually sitting in the cinema experiencing it, I was totally confounded by the way in which the writer delivered the story to us. Whilst I accept that, at its heart, the story is a simple one about love, destiny and friendship, which is fine and dandy, I just could not suspend my disbelief for long enough to really enjoy the film properly.

What I did find heart-breaking, and what really annoyed me, was that between the grown up trio, and their very evident love-triangle, not one of the two really in love did a bloody thing about it! It became quite apparent in the early stages of two of the characters relationship that the third party was indeed acting selfishly. Ultimately though, this act is punishable by something quite gruesome and I found this to be quite satisfying! Bitch! But do not fear, true love is always rewarded.

I’m not sure if I was meant to pick up on it or not, but everything about the film seemed to be very ‘brown’. The costumes, landscape and even the interiors were very gloomy and dull. I was expecting throughout that this tonal adoption would change with the passing of the 1970’s and 80’s, but I was wrong. Perhaps the production team were going for ‘natural’ but, to me, it just felt rather drab and desolate. Maybe this is was the aim?

Part of me thinks I should see this film again. Keira does a great job of being haughty and ill. Andrew really will be a big star and is quite spellbinding in a rather peculiarly stutteringly and ‘deep’ way whilst Carey is steady and warm. I can’t wait to see her in something else where she gets to let her hair down a bit. On the other hand, I might just be depressed and irritated all over again…

The more I think about this film, the angrier I get. I really can’t place the source of my irritation. If anything, it might be my interpretation of the sheer lack of control and free will the characters possess which makes me fume or maybe my heart has been sucked out by errant ballerinas or cowboys or superheros from all the other films I’ve been enjoying recently? I just really didn’t care - I must truly be a husk of a human being otherwise I might actually have given a damn about the characters? Answers on a postcard to…

16th February 2011