Never Let Me Go

A retro intimate alternative to Michael Bay's The Island, but Without the monstrous budget, cool set pieces and train axles flying down the highway. Never Let Me Go is a slow, seemingly ordinary romantic film with an uncompromising dose of the raw reality of an alternate version of the present world where the basic rules of medicine and human life are, in some fundamental ways, constructed very differently. The sad violins work, the pensive glances into the sunsets also work and so do the inner monologues. A smart and aware film that drags a bit in the middle, but the final 20 minutes are a reliable wrap-up and a confirmation that this is something you won't soon forget. (08/02/2021)

I know that I should focus on how little Kathy H is magically peeking at her special idol. Observing the perfect Carey Mulligan, Garfield's perfect portrayal of innocent Tommy D, or Keira's traditionally convincing acting. But I just can't because there were simply too many questions that bothered me throughout the second half. And it wasn't pleasant question marks that I could answer myself to complete the half-exposed plot mysteries. Unfortunately, these were questions that mostly start with the words "For God's sake, why...?" Logic takes one blow after another in my eyes, self-preservation instinct ends with forced desperate attempts - and I just can't bear it. I don't know if the book tries to address these holes, but its adaptation is brutally failing anyway. (11/03/2012)

A devastatingly gorgeous film that flows slowly, melancholically, and left a rather intense impression on me – either as a whole or "only" in a few strong scenes. The actors are well chosen, type-matched exactly to their characters, however Carey Mulligan is the most natural in her role. I haven't read the book, so I was quite surprised and "got" how initially the story of childhood love was transferred into a cold and harsh drama describing the principles underlying a kind of alternative world. Overall, the chosen form, with its pleasant chamber music and beautiful English realities, combined with a story that is the chilling and cynical towards the main characters, feels like a fist in the eye. Obviously that was the intention, which was handled brilliantly, and also one of the devices that ensured a very strong impression at the end. (07/03/2011)

Sad. An untraditional plot in a traditional form. Romanek has a firm director’s hand and the acting performances are excellent. Hope is the driving force behind the story of Never Let Me Go, even so, like real life, it is always swept aside by a world that doesn’t want to understand that compassion for others is something that cannot be created. You either got it or you don’t. (04/10/2011)