Never Let Me Go (2010)
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Source: JustWatch
Physical Media
A celebrated novelist wrote a book everyone agreed was chilling science fiction. He kept gently correcting his readers. It is not science fiction, he said. It is about you.
His novel imagined an England where certain children are raised in boarding schools for one purpose: to grow up and give away their organs, one by one, until they die young. Most took ithe story as a warning about biotechnology.
NEVER LET ME GO (2010) is the film of the book. The novelist was Kazuo Ishiguro, who would later win the Nobel Prize. The screenplay was by his friend Alex Garland, years before he made Ex Machina and Civil War.
Mark Romanek, who made Johnny Cash's "Hurt" video, directed it. Its cast, Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightley, has only grown more famous in the years since.
Viewers and readers ask why the characters don't just run away. Ishiguro's answer: Every one of us is handed a life that ends sooner than we would choose, and we spend it loving people and hoping for a little more time rather than raging at the walls.
It is one of the saddest films ever made about how precious an ordinary life is.
About the Film
These students have everything they need. Except time.
- Directed By
- Mark Romanek
- Runtime
- 104 minutes
- Released
- March 18, 2010
- US Theatrical
- September 15, 2010
- Certification
- R
- Country
- United Kingdom, United States of America
- Starring
- Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield, Izzy Meikle-Small, Ella Purnell
More Credits
- Genres
- Drama, Romance, Science Fiction
- Language
- English
- Origin
- GB
- Studios
- DNA Films, Film4 Productions, Fox Searchlight Pictures
- Written By
- Alex Garland, Kazuo Ishiguro
- Produced By
- Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald, Kazuo Ishiguro, Allon Reich, Tessa Ross
- Cinematography
- Adam Kimmel
- Music
- Rachel Portman
- Also Starring
- Charlie Rowe, Sally Hawkins, Charlotte Rampling, Domhnall Gleeson, Andrea Riseborough
- Budget
- $15,000,000
- Box Office
- $9,918,093
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Romanek’s last feature film. Which is a shame since he had a very unique vision. Still waiting on that Static blu ray… Someone in the UK had a copy he would use, but to this date no more news.
Yeah yeah, I saw Parts: The Clonus Horror too.
Also has Ella Purnell of Fallout fame, who does an insanely accurate version of young Keira Knightly.
This movie broke my heart. It’s a small gem that most people have not seen.
Maria Smith yes, same
This movie made me fall in love with Carey Mulligan more than a little, and I’ve watched everything she’s been in since. Such an underappreciated film.
David Hiscox I already knew her from Dr Who, where she played a Lois Lane type character, but you could tell she had something.
David Hiscox I believe it was “An Education” where I first saw her. She’s brilliant.
I think I first saw her in Doctor Who. I also really enjoyed her in “Drive”, she had so little actual dialog with Ryan Gosling but they said so much with their expressions, it really moved me.
it’s heartbreaking when the kids travel to find that woman and ask her that question (I’m being vague coz don’t want to spoil it)
Michael O’Media Her answer was rather chilling.
Loved this film, and Alex Garland, Mark Romanek and especially the brilliant, budding cast. But Kazuo Ishiguro is something else. Taps into our emotions without being saccharine, but touching something real. Loved his Buried Giant too.
Read it. Was very much of two minds about it. (Therefore,) hadn’t thought to watch the film. You’re saying, ‘Yes.’ (?)
Thomas Hendrickson I guess it depends on what you liked and didn’t like about the book!
Capisco.
I’ve read the book. I’m glad to say that, as with a lot of dystopian fiction humanity would win out before the story gets going. The kids involved would be totally focused on two primary drivers. One, who are my parents and where are they? Second, rebellion. On finding out that their organs will be taken, they would tear apart everything within reach, everything! ‘Rage’ don’t even come close. And escape. That’s the real story here. Forget hopeless sex and Norfolk. Escape! And burn it all down or die on the way. That’s what they would do.
This was a moving and disturbing film. I can still see many of the scenes in my minds eye.
Andrea Krause this is my definition of a really good film. They etch into your mind forever. And others I can barely remember watching.
Well dangit. I was gonna read the book and then watch the movie but this just spoiled it for me.
Rachel Rae レイ Heck There’s so much more to this than the premise.
It avoided the term science fiction and I’m sure it was marketing snob value that was the motive. Because it really has a classic format: alternate history depending on one scientific process. I found the book painfully weak and I think it would have had better impact at novella length and with a bit more irony.
i liked it
I read the book. Chilling.
As if science fiction can’t possibly be ‘about you’. Ignorant, pissant snobbery.
I loved the book but I haven’t seen the film yet. I should. Because I definitely agree that it’s about life and maybe about “settling” for what we can have. Do I think that’s how it would play out in real life if people were raised for organs? Not at all, and that’s probably part of why he felt it wasn’t science fiction.
Love this movie and the book too,gut wrenching
The movie destroyed me. I have the book, but haven’t been able to bring myself to read it, because I felt physically sick watching the film.
Kazuo is someone who consistently writes speculative fiction and then gets mad when you call it speculative fiction.
“No no, it’s trying to say something about society!”
Yeah my guy, that’s speculative fiction.
Loved the book and the movie!
A beautiful book and a fantastic film adaptation.
One of my favorites, both the book and film. I can see his point
All science fiction is about exploring humanity through a different lens.
Love this movie so much
Beautiful film. Great novel.
I bawled and bawled over this movie.
It is a horror film. Horrific.