Never Let Me Go

As I watching this, I thought it had a certain Japanese feel to it, and it was only when the ending credits rolled that I realized it was actually based on a novel by a Japanese author (albeit a British-raised one… in fact, also the author of Remains of the Day).  It has the gentle, elegiac, melancholy tones that mark the work of Iwai or Koreeda.  The film’s sci-fi premise is interesting (especially presented as an alternate history) but serves only as a foundation for meditations on mortality, humanity, social inequities and love.  It occasionally spells things out too plainly, but I wouldn’t call it heavy-handed at any point.  Carey Mulligan was more impressive in An Education than in this role, which mostly requires her to be wistful a lot, but I liked her very much anyway.  She’s got a presence that draws your attention without being showy.  Knightley is surprisingly good, and Garfield is passable.  Romanek has a good eye, and the film has a lush atmosphere that enhances its introspective nature, as does the restrained score.  All in all, a very beautiful film, one that’s original enough and touching enough to warrant a second look someday.  Rating: 8

IMDb

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