Never Let Me Go

I have not read the novel upon which this film is based, but my wife tells me that this film captures the spirit of the novel very well. If that is true, I may want to ready myself emotionally for reading the novel, because the film is a handful. I seldom have seen a movie where a particular mood is so well captured in a film. Here the mood that is captured is hopelessness and resignation. However, within that hopelessness, hope still resides, and it gives the viewer something to think about in terms of how we must seize opportunities in our own lives, since life is a gift, and life is short.

The film imagines a world parallel to ours wherein cloning was perfected in the 1950's. In the present day, there is an entire race of clones that is being created and raised to harvest their vital organs in order that "originals" (human non-clones) might survive disease. All of these clones know their destiny, and they accept it. The film primarily follows three clones (played by Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley and Carrie Mulligan) and their short journey through life. The film does not grapple with the ethics of the situation, though there is one human who sees their desperate desire to live a few years for love and proclaims, "You poor creatures." Instead, the film pulls back, shows us the narrative, and allows us to ponder the implications of that world. Many different ethical questions can arise from this film: cloning itself, stem cell research, class struggle, and abortion. The film speaks directly to none of these. What makes the film brilliant is its ability to tell its story without excessive moralizing. It is clear that what is going on the film is not a desirable world, yet the situation is shown with such veracity that it does seem possible.

In the end, we are forced to look into the eyes of these creatures and ask ourselves to identify with them. Their lives are short, but in the grand scheme of things, none of us live long lives, and few of us are ready to die. That is why what is being done to this people is tragic. Life is short enough without it being deliberately and coldly taken from you. On the other hand, will we as humans ever be able to accept the reality of death and not cling to life so tightly that we sacrifice innocent lives in order to extend our own short life spans? These questions naturally arise...and the effect is tremendous.