NEVER LET ME GO (2010 - Cert 12A)

Often when I use the word Sci-fi people recoil as their mind conjures up images of huge space ships, grey, rainy dystopian futures and alien life forms perfectly evolved for the purpose of hunting humans. The reality is though, and forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, it so much more than that. Jurassic Park - good wholesome family entertainment right? Yes but it's also Sci-fi, because it contains both science and fiction. So for every Blade Runner, there is an ET, and for every 2001 Space Odyssey, there is a comedy like Woody Allen's Sleeper. It's not all geeky nerd terrain where you need to know the difference between The Sulaco and The Nostromo to be allowed into the club.

And so we get to Never Let Me Go, based on the 2005 novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, which may appear from the posters and the trailers as just a love story made to tug at your heartstrings but is actually science fiction at its simplest and most effective. I need to be careful what I say because I do not want to let any spoilers seep out, but Ishiguro looks at reality and asks 'what if?' and through that one question he creates an incredible alternative reality that explores what it means to be human and makes us ponder what the price of a human life is.



We are shown this alternative vision through the lives of 3 people - Kathy, Tommy and Ruth (played by 3 big British names - Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley respectively) as they grow up, starting in the sheltered life they lead at a boarding school called Hailsham before leaving and being housed in a gated community called 'The Cottages'. What plays out is essentially a love triangle but to refer to it as that really doesn't do it justice, because it's much more than that. Much of the reason for this is to do with the acting on show. Carey Mulligan as Kathy is fantastic. She promised a great deal in An Education and really cements her reputation in this film. Kathy is the centre of the film, narrating some of it, and she really holds it all together, Mulligan playing her with skill as someone battling on with no hope but trying so hard not to let this show. Garfield is also making a name for himself (I'm due to watch the Social Network this afternoon and am looking forward to seeing him in that) and his performance in Never Let Me Go is good enough to make me think that the new Spiderman (The Amazing Spiderman) might actually not be a load of tosh. His Tommy is full of youthful naievety that makes him endearing but also heartbreaking to watch as everything unfolds around him. It is both Mulligan and Garfield that are the standout performances but Knightley is also very decent as the least likeable character of the three. Despite the nasty, manipulative streak to Ruth she still managed to elicit a sympathy in me towards her which is an achievement worth mentioning.

The feel and look of the film is another factor in making it so affecting. Mark Romanek direction ensure it is cold and distant in it's tone, it really felt as though I was kept at arm's length, an outsider looking in. It's a similar feel to his only other feature of note, One Hour Photo (he has largely done music videos and documentaries since) and really gives proceedings a chilling feel. It also deals with the big moments and unveilings in such an understated and matter-of-fact manner that they almost fall under the radar. It's cleverly manages to make the plight of the characters feel even more upsetting. The soft constant score also heightens the emotion attached to proceedings.

I also think it right to mention Alex Garland who wrote the screenplay. Since he had such success with his book The Beach he has penned this film, as well as 28 Days Later and Sunshine. He's clearly one to keep an eye on.

So, I hope I haven't given anything away because to see this film without any prior knowledge is how it should be done. It's interesting, upsetting, at times uplifting and most of all incredibly thought-provoking. 4 days after seeing it I'm still turning it over in my cranium. I read an article in the Sunday Times last week announcing the death of intelligent cinema. This film is exhibit one in the evidence to disprove that statement.