Sunday, September 12, 2010

TIFF PREMIERE OF NEVER LET ME GO (PICS & REVIEW)


Andrew Garfield & Mr. Will-W.
Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go is a beautiful film crafted delicately right down to its gorgeous colour treatment - but don't walk in expecting smiles and laughter. The adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's acclaimed novel received a TIFF North American premiere at Ryerson Theatre tonight with the Author, Director and lead actors Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield present.  The story imagines a world where human cloning is done for the purpose of organ donation and the emotional impact of knowing that your life will end prematurely after your organs have been donated. Can one be in love with another knowing that their life will end prematurely at the discretion of someone else?

The story follows three clones who are raised together, with both girls Kathy (Mulligan) and Ruth (Keira Knightley) divided by their feelings for Tommy (Garfield). Tommy and Ruth wind up in love from a young age, despite Kathy also having feelings for him.  Her jealousy and self-defeat push her into isolation.  Even hough their fates have been sealed as clones, they come to realize that with love, there is a real reason to want to continue living. 

Knightley (absent today) is a pleasure to watch even though her screen time is minimal. Mulligan who was lovely for fans, generously dividing time with them on the Red Carpet, proves that indeed her success is no fluke after last year's An Education.  She delivers a nuanced performance here, while Garfield, our next Spiderman, has an almost-childlike curiosity about him - surely the first of many more high profile performances including David Fincher's upcoming The Social Network. Interestingly upon speaking to him today, he told me he was jealous that I've seen it before him actually! Check out my review of that film here.

Above the sense of tragedy and sadness evoked in Never Let Me Go, we learn that regardless of whether we live until we are 30 or 100, universally our lives on Earth are too short. To experience true love also even if for a short while, is better than never experiencing it at all.  Fox Searchlight's Never Let Me Go hits theatres October 1, 2010. Grade B+

Check out some more photos I got from today's TIFF premiere at Ryerson Theatre:
Carey Mulligan
Andrew Garfield
Kazuo Ishiguro
Mark Romanek
(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

1 comment:

  1. Is Garfield going to be making any other appearances? Do you know Will? Thanks:)

    ReplyDelete