Never Let Me Go

Kathy H is 28 and works as a “carer”, someone who supports and comforts particular patients. She narrates the story while reminiscing about her childhood in a seemly idyllic English boarding school in an alternate universe where people routinely live past the age of 100.

In the early 70's Hailsham is full of bright young students who are completely sheltered from the world. In fact they are told horrible stories of what happens to those errant children who leave the property. The students are encourage to produce art which are selected for the “gallery”. Their lives are quite simple with a few amusements. Every once in awhile a “bumper crop” of outside items are brought into the school that the students can purchase with tokens that they have earned. They also trade their treasures with each other. It's like a holiday for them. Their health and well being is strictly looked after while their lives revolve around their relationships with each. Kathy and Ruth are friends, until troubled Tommy catches Kathy's attention with his temper and frustration. They have a sweet friendship until jealous Ruth maneuver's Tommy's attention to herself. As they grow older the trio (Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightly and Andrew Garfield) are moved out of the boarding school to the cottages while they await their ultimate fate. The relationship with Tommy and Ruth burdens Kathy, but she endures. She becomes a “carer” who tends her classmates and those from other schools while they donate their organs. One teacher at their school was compelled to tell her students that their lives would be short lived. They could not have dreams of becoming anything but what they are. They would donate then “complete”. That's why they are there, that's why they exist. Despite this dreary outlook the children center their attentions on each other. They hear a rumor that if they can prove they are in love, they can get a deferral from having to give any donations for a few months to enjoy each other. After Kathy and Tommy eventually reunite, they seek out their headmistress who may give them a chance to make up for lost time.

Based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro the film directed by Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo) maintains the same quiet hypnotic melodrama of the book. Carey Mulligan's Kathy is almost too resigned to her fate. Keira Knightly is very scary to watch after her donations and draws the biggest tears while she comes clean to Kathy and Tommy about keeping them apart for so long. Andrew Garfield's Tommy is frustrated with trying to create art to show he has a soul fares better than his female co-stars. While the subject matter is quite sad, Kathy H keeps them free from self pity. However the film is almost too slow and reserved to feel much for the character's predicaments. As a viewer you just want them to run off and live whatever lives they want.
(Review by reesa)