Review: Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go was my pre-Valentine’s Day treat to myself – and I now understand why critics have been so underwhelmed by this sci-fi 'tragic' love story.

Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and la Knightley are the trio at the centre of this dull but worthy drama, directed with solemnity by Mark Romanek. The film simply fails to catch light, simply fails to bring its characters to life. In fact, it’s rather like Atonement: beautifully put together, but lacking in substance, and once again the drama hinges on a young girl’s act of jealousy.

The film wants you to feel the yearning and be horrified that when finally the inevitable happiness arrives, it is but fleeting. However, I sat there completely dispassionate – for a film that should cause your emotions to swell, Never Let Me Go singularly fails to engage on an emotional level.

However, the film looks beautiful: the bucolic idyll of the characters’ youth is dappled in summery colours, while their early adulthood is lovingly bathed in autumnal shades, and finally a wintry aspect is present as they reach the ends of their lives.

Also the cast all do well with their mostly unlikeable parts: Knightley’s brittle quality is appropriate for her character, and Garfield – post-Social Network – confirms himself ready to play one of the great losers (namely Peter Parker/Spider-Man), but it’s Mulligan, so astonishing in An Education, who brings to the film what little light and life it musters.

I can’t speak of this film’s value as an adaptation, not having read the source novel, but I can say that a marvellous opportunity has been missed.
Score: 6/10