Never Let Me Go (2011)

Mark Romanek's latest is a Sci-Fi film without being a Sc-Fi film. Based on Kazuo Ishiguro's 2005 novel of the same name and adapted for the screen by Alex Garland, this film has the seductive lure of a classic coming of age romance that seems to be taking place in a parallel universe.

The story is about 3 children who grow up at Halisham boarding school. Like all pupils who attend the school, the three have a very particular destiny, one they don't truly understand until later in life. One of them, Kathy, played by the excellent Carey Mulligan, narrates the story, telling us what happens when she and her friends Ruth (Keira Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield) who she loves, move out of the school and into the cottages where Ruth becomes a carer.

Right at the start of the film Garland tells us there has been a medical breakthrough during the 60's which has dramatically extended life expectancy for humans. This tells the audience straight away that this isn't our world. There is also little touches in the film that shows a different world including the Halisham students wearing wrist tags that they must use to register their whereabouts, even in adult life. It's fair to say that Kathy and her friends are trapped.

Screenwriter Garland sticks closely to the letter and spirit of Ishiguro's novel. He incorporates some of the dialogue straight from the book without overwhelming the human drama or Romanek's visual take on Britain. Romanek does brilliantly, adding his own style and re-creating a world that seems lost. Yes it's partially imagined, but also feels real. He also gets the best out of his actors. Knightley is strong and subtle as the selfish Ruth, Garfield captures Tommy perfectly, showing us an awkwardness and loneliness that may come in handy for next years Amazing Spider-Man. But it's Mulligan who is the start of the show, giving us a performance of real quality and shows that she is at the top of her game.

It's a beautiful film which sticks closely to the novel and provides an intelligent story with a hint of science fiction. To call this a Sci-Fi film for the ladies would be unfair to all involved, especially the 3 main actors who produce stunning performances. The film will however leave you with more questions then answers.