Never Let Me Go (Romanek, 2010)
Looking through the archives for something that I wrote this month (but a long time ago), I rediscovered this review for Never Let Me Go from March 2011:
Adapted from a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go has taken
it’sits time getting to us but is well worth the wait. Set in a subtly parallel universe where medical science now prolongs life well beyond our own current expectations, three children meet at a mysterious boarding school and become friends for life. The school, presided over by chilly Charlotte Rampling, is preparing these children for a special purpose – but what is it?I’m tiptoeing around the central idea because it’s better to experience this film with as little preconception as possible. Suffice to say that when the children turn into adults (Carey Mulligan from An Education, Andrew Garfield from The Social Network and the often under-appreciated Keira Knightley) they will have to come to terms with their destiny – and the many losses it will bring.
Like The Social Network’s David Fincher, director Mark Romanek is a graduate of the Madonna-video academy of filmmaking but he shows a sensitive touch throughout. In fact, the film is wonderfully gentle and often exquisite. Production and costume design (not something I mention too often in these pages); Rachel Portman’s score; even the closing titles, all demonstrate excellent taste.
Doing ‘research’ for today’s edition, I discover news that there is a television adaptation of Never Let Me Go in the works. It’ll be hard-pressed to do better than Romance’s film.
Also reviewed in that edition of the Capital Times was Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams in Derek Cianfrance’s excellent drama, Blue Valentine, the “intellectual workout” that is Abbas Kiarostami’s Certified Copy starring Juliette Binoche and the “splendid” animated Western, Rango.
Where to watch Never Let Me Go
Aotearoa, Australia, Canada: Streaming on Disney+
USA: Streaming on Starz
UK: Digital rental from the usual outlets
Reader comment
Commenting on yesterday’s recommendation, Whetū Mārama: Bright Star, subscriber TH said:
Matua Hec was a good human being as well as someone who challenged a lot of accepted beliefs and behaviours (eg “women can’t carve waka”). I saw him at a conference in Hawai’i where the audience just stood and applauded – somehow his achievements were better known there than here in mainstream Aotearoa NZ.…
This serves as a reminder that paid subscribers are allowed to comment and it’s always nice to hear from you.
