Never Let Me Go
NEVER ME LET GO: NEEDS TO DIG DEEPER
Never Let Me Go is a tale of three childhood friends who brave a traumatic life and its consequences. Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield are two Hollywood up and comers with their costar Keira Knightley being the veteran. This is a fascinating story even if it is a bit of a downer. It piques the audience's interest but doesn't satisfy it due to lack of an explanation.
Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Ruth (Keira Knightley), and Tommy (Andrew Garfield) are students at Hailsham Boarding School. Tommy is a loner who gets picked on a lot, while Ruth and Kathy are somewhat friends. When new teacher Miss Lucy (Sally Hawkins) arrives, they are all curious about her. She asks them questions they have never been asked before. And when she divulges their real purpose in life, they are all shell shocked. Ruth takes up with Tommy, knowing Kathy has a crush on him. But the three make their journey together while trying to understand why they must do what is expected.
Never Let Me Go has an intriguing premise. The story is set in the late 70s and early 80s in England. And without giving it away, the plot twist has a sci-fi twist to it. It is very sad. And as interesting as it is, we are given so little explanation as to why this is happening, with no background information. It makes for a shallow film. All the actors play their roles well. Carey Mulligan is the heroine who pines for the boy she cannot have. She is the calm, quiet force of the three. Her eyes always show compassion and pain simultaneously. Keira Knightley is the catty and cruel Ruth. It is refreshing to see her play an unlikable character and find that she is good at it. Andrew Garfield as Tommy is immature and clueless, caught between these two girls. The movie was shot for the most part in England. The sun never shines, echoing the hopelessness these characters feel once they learn their fate. The buildings are old and gray. Even when they visit the ocean for the first time and they are amazed by its force, it still has a melancholy feel.
Leaving the audience wanting more is a good thing. But giving too little of an explanation on what is happening is not.
Never Let Me Go tries to combine science fiction with a story set in Britain. Its original and well played by the trio Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan, and Andrew Garfield. But there are too many questions left unanswered, making it feel incomplete.
Report Card:
Story-C
Acting-B
Visuals-B
Originality/Innovation-C+
Enjoyability Grade–B-
DVD Extras-D
Overall Grade-C
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