NEVER LET ME GO

UK, 2010, 103 minutes, Colour.
Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley, Charlotte Rampling, Sally Hawkins, Nathalie Richard, Andrea Riseborough, Domhnall Gleeson.
Directed by Mark Romanek.

One of the things that Never Let Me Go does is to make an audience realise the difference between much British and most American film-making. This British production, based on a sombre novel by Kazuo Ishiguro (who also wrote The Remains of the Day), shows a quiet, sometimes restrained British sensibility, suggestions of character and action rather than expansive explanations and the avoiding of a happy ending. It is in many ways a grim film, even a dour film.

The story is the reminiscences of Kathy (Carey Mulligan) who is watching a patient in a hospital. The rest of the film is principally flashbacks to her childhood and early adulthood. She belongs to a group of special children in a very British boarding school. They are sheltered and protected although so much of their life looks like the familiar styles of the 1940s and 1950s. They remain fearful of rumours of what the outside world is really like. They receive pep talks from the principal (Charlotte Rampling), although they are told something of what society has in mind for their lives by a sympathetic teacher (Sally Hawkins in a more serious role than usual). Kathy is friendly with Ruth and with the artistically inclined Tom. They form something of a trio.

As they grow up in the school, they prepare to go out into the world, their possibilities being carers or part of organ donor programs. That is their destiny. Which means that the science fiction elements of the narrative gradually creep up on the audience rather than being presented blatantly or sensationally. The opening information on screen is quietly statistical and sober.

Tom (Andrew Garfield) goes through adolescent issues and is attracted to Ruth (Keira Knightly) though he is quietly devoted to Kathy. He has given her a CD present with a song, Never Let Me Go, which she treasures. However, she is reticent in her responses and wittingly or unwittingly allows Ruth to manipulate Tom’s affections and behaviour. This continues as they go out to The Cottages, awaiting what their lives are meant to be.

Then, years pass as Kathy becomes a carer and loses touch with Ruth and Tom. When she does re-connect, situations have changed drastically. Ruth is making an assessment of her life and wants to make good the damage she felt she did to Kathy and Tom in the past. Tom clutches at the possibility of making something of a life with Kathy. But, given the destiny of their lives, is this possible? A visit to the principal and to the art teacher of their school provides pessimistic answers. They tell the two youngsters that the art that was collected in their school days was not to look into their souls and understand them, but to see whether they actually had souls.

This means that Never Let Me Go is a more subtle drama than we usually see, taking a rather indirect approach to characters and themes. This means it may be too low-key, even boring, for audiences who expect films to be more keyed up. For audiences who appreciate something different and quietly persuasive, this may be a satisfying and thoughtful, and rueful, experience.

1. The adaptation of the celebrated novel? Capturing the situations, the themes? The characters, their destiny?

2. The very British style of the film? Presenting the United Kingdom over the decades? The countryside, the school, the cottages, hospital? The sea, the shore and the boat? Creating a different world – but making it familiar?

3. The muted colours, the sombre tone, the initial information about cures? Transplants and donors? The musical score?

4. The title, for each of the characters, for the song and the gift to Kathy? Tom and the title being a symbol with the record?

5. Kathy and the voice-over, her life, issues of fate, events, feelings, love, sadness and death?

6. Kathy watching the patient, in the hospital, her expectations? The return to this sequence at the end, Kathy and Tom and what has happened between them?

7. The world of the schoolchildren, old-style boarding school, the 1940s and 50s? The age of the children, the classes? Miss Emily and her running the school? Her speeches, regulations, the applause? Classes? The work of art and the material going to the gallery? The sale and the delight of the children, their purchases? The expectations of the children – the form and style of brainwashing? Miss Emily and her principles, accepting the world, saying it was a new world and that we could never go back?

8. Miss Lucy, her personality, as a teacher, her helping Tom, the class and etiquette, the cups of tea and coffee? Her talking with Kathy? Her being upset, telling the class the truth? Her dismissal?

9. Madame, her gallery? The works of art and their being collected? Later, Tom and Kathy going to see Miss Emily and Madame? Miss Emily’s saying that the art was not to see the soul of the children but whether they had a soul or not?

10. The children growing up, the basis for their education, Kathy being thoughtful, Tom and his being artistic, poor at sport, needing support? The slap, the gift? Ruth and her being more wilful? The later questions about their origins, their search? Issues of sexuality, the magazines, Tom and his talk?

11. The cottages, the allotments, care and donors? Adulthood? The children and their being prepared for this life? Ordinariness, yet waiting for a call to be donors? The friends at the cottage, the discussions, watching television, imitating the television? Their going on the trip, the awkwardness at the café, Ruth trying to see her origins?

12. Kathy, in herself, her work, relating well to people, at the cottages, watching people? In hospital? The talk of rumours about the outside world? The rumours of deferral of donation because of love? Hopes?

13. The years passing, Kathy and her encountering Ruth, Ruth as a donor, becoming weak? The drive to the boat, picking up Tom? Each reflecting on the years passing? The boat, Ruth and her explanations, asking for forgiveness? The possibility of deferral for Tom and Kathy?

14. Ruth, her character, her donations, the completion of her life and mission?

15. Kathy and Tom, the tenderness between them, Kathy misinterpreting Tom, Tom’s love for Kathy? The hopes, the visit, the discussions with Madame and Miss Emily? The truth?

16. Tom, the effect of this information, reflection on his life, his primal scream?

17. Tom, a donor, the hospital, Kathy watching him going in, his death?

18. Genteel science fiction? The children as clones? Their destiny for being donors? Their not understanding the implications? Nor the people for whom they gave their lives? Death, destiny? The type of society that could allow this kind of cloning and life and donation?