Films/DVD Asylum

Just got around to watching Never Let Me Go

124.176.45.21

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Starring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightly and Andrew Garland. Directed by Mark Romanek, it's based on the 2005 novel by Kazuo Ishiguro (author of Remains of the Day). I won't give away the plot, but suffice it to say it's a putative love story set in a dystopian present day distorted by scientific advances in the 1950s. I recommend you don't read reviews beforehand, lest you spoil things.

I found this to be one of the most frustrating movies I've seen in a long time.

There were obvious script deficiences which needed to be addressed to prevent the audience from thinking 'WTF, there's no way anyone would do that'. I also found the performances to be curiously detached, although they were obvioulsy intented to be. Given the emotional state of the main characters I would have expected a little more emotion at times.

However...if you can overlook its problems, this is one of those movies which falls into the 'haunting' category. Its cinematography is wonderful and it has a dreamy, languid pace which is unashamedly out of touch with modern film mores.

You may have to watch it twice to appreciate its qualities (read the reviews/analysis *after* the first viewing so you know what to look for in the second viewing).

Thoroughly recommended.

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