Video:  A Poignant Journey
By: Holley Sinn

Verdict: So very approved

Films translated from beloved books are tricky. Characters that come to life in the imagination are often difficult to embody in recognizable actors, and the ultimate visualization of a world that is different for every mind that perceives it often leaves readers-turned-audiences wanting. Not so in Mark Romanek's adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go". Adapted for the screen by Alex Garland, best known for his work on the zombie flick "28 Days Later", the film features an alternate reality...where medical science has progressed to the point of farming organs by way of human cattle. The social landscape is every bit as bleak and troubled as a world where the undead have become the majority. Suffice it to say, this production resulted from the perfect marriage between author and screenwriter. It's a solemn, passionate love child, characterized by unbelievable performances and a torturously beautiful story.

Set in 1967, Kathy, Ruth and Tommy...played by Izzy Meikle-Small, Ella Purnell and Charlie Rowe...are students at an English countryside school called Hailsham. They receive the best nutrition available, ample time at play and are encouraged to create through painting and sculpture. At first glance, the children appear to be happier than normal boarding school students, but the institution of a new teacher named Miss Lucy, played by the stunning Sally Hawkins, reveals a grim fate for which all of Hailsham's attendees are bound. The students are clones...created for their organs, which they will be obligated to donate once they reach adulthood, the process of which will eventually result in their death. Cut to the early 80s when the children have grown into teenagers, played by Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield. Life has become more complicated thanks not only to the students' impending service, but also to typical adolescent hormones.

While the central idea of this film is not the ethics of the cloning and harvesting process, the relationships that develop between the central characters provide proof of their humanity. Kathy and Tommy are in love, but Ruth wedges herself between them at a young age and assumes Tommy's love for herself. While Kathy is resentful of Ruth's actions, she maintains her friendships with both because she knows no other way of living. Howevever, a spiteful confrontation between herself and Ruth compels Kathy to apply for a position as a Carer...a supportive figure in the lives of donors once their organ harvesting begins.

Ten years pass, and when a potential opportunity to delay the donation process surfaces, the three friends are forced to come clean about their feelings, their trespasses and their fears. Supported by a haunting score and a grainy cinematic style reminiscent of the time in which this film is set, Mulligan, Knightley and Garfield give intensely emotional, heartbreaking performances, each one worthy of awards consideration. The ideas of fate, acceptance and the decisions we make when faced with our own "completion" provide the backbone for a love story that presents the question, "are we ever given enough time?"

"Never Let Me Go" is not for everyone. It explores deep, difficult emotions prompting many to judge it as "depressing". But, for those who readily find the hope and beauty in tragedy and loss, this film is akin to a sad song and a good cry. "Never Let Me Go" is rated "R" for sexual content and brief nudity, and it opens today in bay area theaters.