IR: Never Let Me Go

Famed author Kazuo Ishiguro, respected screenwriter Alex Garland and music-video veteran Mark Romanek bring us a film in which love cannot save the day.

It was my slight misfortune to listen to a radio play some years back (I won't mention the name or that will give it away) that had a very similar concept to Never Let Me Go. You won't know the actual concept
of Never Let Me Go unless you have read the novel or spoiler-full reviews/synopses, but suffice it to say that this concept drives the film and is best kept a secret before you watch it.

Now this radio play made me aware of the true nature of the world pretty much from the first five minutes, and that tempered my experiences somewhat.
I felt a little bit 'oh, go on, get on with it' in a way which I imagine was quite unfair to the plot.
Anyway, yes.

Suffocating.

That is what this film is. Deliberately, I may add, so thats no bad thing. The film is based around the idea that the main characters in are prisoners. Not in a place, as such, even though there are boundaries on their world, but prisoners in a mindset and a system. This is in much the same way Red describes being 'institutionalised' in the Shawshank Redemption; becoming so used to the life of imprisonment that freedom itself is alien. Sometimes Not even alien, but unthinkable. An impossibility.

And unlike Shawshank, there is not redemption in Never Let Me Go. This becomes pretty clear as early as the first twenty minutes, but it does not alleviate the tension.
When I say it is suffocating, I literally felt like the story was wrapping itself round my chest and squeezing like a boa constrictor. The principle characters are caught in a loop of life, an airless, claustrophobic world in which they only have each other and those of their kind.

Their lives have been planned out before them by forces unseen. The audience will, if they are like me, be screaming with ever fibre of their being: 'ESCAPE! ESCAPE! ESCAPE!'…but they are so utterly complacent and resigned to their fate that they can no more escape than fly to the moon.

The beautiful locations such as the idyllic Hailsham school in fist act and the Aga-and-oak beam cottages in the second only serve to heighten the incestuous, inescapable loneliness of their lives. They are trapped in a world of twee routine only broken by the mildest of distractions.

At the centre of the plot is a love story, but that too is so tense and stretched you could use it to skin a drum. It starts in Hailsham where all the children are a cute as individually polished buttons, especially Chalie Rowe who plays the young Tommy. In fact they are so well turned out with apple cheeks and Loreal-ad hair that it all feels a bit Midwitch Cuckoos.

Especially with the starey eyes.
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It progresses through the next stage of life when the principles have aged into Carey Mulligan, Kiera Knightly (who deserves special mention because she is EXCELLENT in this role) and sexy sexy Andrew Garfield.

However the film does drag a little as the near-solipsistic lives of these downtrodden prisoners carries on with inevitably predictability and the end, though tragic and heartfelt, feels like going through the motions.

It is quite a relief to escape from this place, but you will not come out feeling happy.
I do have issues with the social realise of the central concept, which I won't go into here, but if you do see the film see what you think of this statement:
Does it seem to you that the writer, Kazuo Ishiguro, has made up a ghastly situation just so he can deplore of it?

3/5


Never Let Me Go was so depressing to watch. We seem to be watching a few of those recently. The characters are, without spoiling the plot too much, doomed like free range chickens. Pretty much exactly like free-range chickens, really. But you'll have to watch the film to see why. It is creepy, in a very English-apple-pie-with-arsenic-in-it way.

Eat up.

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Under strict instructions not to spoil the concept, which apparently the trailers don't so I shouldn't, it's hard to describe for you the feelings of the film or remark upon the effects upon the characters or tell you why it was so creepy to see old people walking around town or so tragic to look at porn magazines. Even more tragic than the regular reason, I mean. Suffice to say, I hope, that this film was clever and charming and intriguing and sad, and I want to see it again because the acting is beautiful and the aesthetic of the film is hauntingly wholesome.

A few criticisms; the concept, though powerful, isn't anything that's not been done before, and some aspects of it didn't stand up to analysis as to what we think would happen in a real scenario.

As for the title, think of the film as that bit in Titanic where Kate Winslet is holding on to Leonardo DiCaprio in the water, but drawn out over a decade or so.

5/5

The King's Speech

The shy and stammering Prince Albert finds it impossible to speak publically; after seeing dozens of speech therapists, he is referred to the genial Australian Lionel Logue. However the progress he is making may be all too slow- his father in failing health and his older brother infatuated with a totally unsuitable American divorcee, it seems that the reluctant Prince may have to take the throne he dreads.

The Kings Speech was jolly good and comes confidently recommended. The film centres on the man who would become King George the 6th, at the beginning of the 2nd World War. The plot, however, deals little with the struggles of the country in this trying time, but focuses on the personal problem that ‘Bertie’ (as his family call him) faces with public speaking, suffering as he does from a stammer. His wife, played commendably by Helena Bonham-Carter, fixes him up with a last-resort speech therapist who has unconventional methods. (I say commendably, not because she was particularly good, which I suppose she was, but because she wasn’t terrible, as I feared she would be, having never seen her play anyone but her shrieking gothic self).

Jim has taken to calling her 'Helena Boned-Corset'.

The trust and friendship that is built, despite reservations from Bertie, between him and the therapist, is where the charm of this film lies. The best scenes are those in the therapist’s studio, where he has Bertie engaging in all manner of exercises, from dignified waltzing to swearing at the top of his lungs. All very amusing. Sombre at times, it has a solid story and a happy ending, and faithful lack of airbrushing.

4/5

Lauded everywhere already, and Oscar fodder it most definitely is, there is very little to say about the King's Speech you won't have heard a dozen times already. Its great, nuff said.
So I will instead lay a few random points down.

It is so refreshing to see Geoffery Rush cast off his pirate gear (though he was obviously having a good time) and do some proper acting. He is charming as Logue the speech therapist, although his accent does become more antipodean in the presence of his Aussie family...it could be the same accent-inhibiting allergy to tables that affected him in Pirates 3.

"Arrr, and ye know thys to be troo, oi...noo, sorrie, oi jost caant hold it, arrrrrr, where be me trailer? Oi'm off fer a coffee"

Look closely at a scene where King George 'Bertie' the Sixth and Lionel Logue walk through a fog bound park. Its almost all in one take, and it is gorgeous.

There are some surprisingly moving and profound insights into the King's upbringing. Although it never descends into Poor Little Rich Boy cliches it does tackle the paradox of power (the higher up you are, the more people will tell you what to do) and the harrowing real reasons behind speech impediments; bullying, persecution and abuse.

As a man who loves the sound of his own voice and positively welcomes public speaking, it took some very good tricks to put me in the shoes of the nervous, speech-hating King. But it was very well done, and not just by visuals; the subtle off-hand comments in the script about how many thousands will be listening, and how great he will probably be build up a real sense of apprehension and nerves that we know, as an audience, will only serve to worsen the King's worries.

I love the place they found to be Logue's 'office'. A big as a bunker, with a curved roof, all copper-oxide and bare stone. It was a truly unique and original set.

It pains me to say that among a cast of great actors, Timothy Spall, national treasure that he is, appeared to be slightly hamming it up. His portrayal of Churchill is rather too caricatured and he seems to be shoehorned in just because any World War 2 drama simply must have a Churchill.
Still, one could argue that Churchill himself was such a larger-than-life character it would be impossible to play him subtly. We shall never know.

Finally: Colin Firth. A speech impediment is a hard thing to act without making it ridiculous or comedic. And its hard to deliver lines when in fact, there is not line, just a terrible, confused pause from a character who just CANNOT get the words out. But Colin Firth proves once again just how awesome he is. He never slips into parody once, and it is hard to believe that it is in any way unnatural for him to stammer. Good on you, sir.

In conclusion, see the King's Speech. I recommend it every bit as much as I would recommend a hot bath, a cup of tea, a Joseph Wright painting or a favourite piece of music. It is just the tonic.

5/5

IR: Another Year

A few of days in a year in the life of an aging couple, their family and friends.

Watching Another Year was very interesting because there was always some good acting to study on the screen. Often the camera would linger for a good half minute on someone’s face just to see him or her frown a little more after some thinking. The character Mary was the best for this, being a hyper person in general, so when she wasn’t talking her face was still in action, jittering between sadness and social ness. Most characters were very good in this respect, with the omission of Gerri, whose face was in a constant look of friendly patronising surprise.
The basic storyline is about a stable couple, Tom and Gerri (har har), who are nearing old age gracefully and are leading happy fulfilling lives, being in good heath, employment, owning a good house and car and having a grown up son. They have life so good, in fact, that other people are drawn to their home because it’s so inviting and convivial. However, they end up having to play host a few too many times and sort out more problems than they would really like to.
The story that evolves from this is very watch able if you’re not too squeamish about being presented with the flaws of real life. As Gerri says, “Life isn’t always kind.” I noticed Jim squirming about in his chair, clearly uncomfortable with the car crash relationships that are too familiar already. We internally ‘squeed’ a few times when we noticed locations in Derby that we recognised, and props such as a Derby Rams mug.
It left us both feeling a bit melancholy but it is a very good watch and as I said the acting is remarkable (hence I remarked upon it, so you know it’s true.) I noticed a lot of the older generation seated behind us but I think any audience would enjoy this film.

5/5

Another Year is refreshing in so many ways. With two fantasy films under our belts this week, it was great to see a film which relied 100% on performances, with an excellent, naturalistic script and actors who were interesting to look at, rather than being airbrushed out of existence. Geri, played by Ruth Sheen, was a particular favourite of mine, as her face was magnetic whilst being unabashedly mature and natural. Jim Broadbent too (who I love love love) is great to look at, his blue bagged eyes staring out atop a grizzled beard. The films real star though is Lesley Manville as Mary...she is one of the most cringe making characters of all time, every moment she spends on screen is spiritual agony in the best possible way. Her scenes rival even Todd Solondz Happiness for sheer discomfort. She is monstrous and heartbreakingly sympathetic at the same time, a mass of neurosis held together with wine. Still, singling people out is unfair...everyone is top notch, even those who appear only for a scene or two, including Imelda Staunton who we saw not two days ago in Harry Potter playing a very different role indeed.
The themes of ageing and the loneliness of old age are juxtaposed with the fun and love of remembering youth; they are portrayed with such brilliance I defy any audience, no matter what age or from what culture, not to find something they relate to in the film.
So much of what is said isn't actually said...it is as if the characters have welcomed us into their lives, just as Tom and Geri welcome people into their house, so we can watch them a while and draw our own conclusions. They are by turns loveable and annoying, admirable and irksome, kind and cold. They are in the truest sense, human beings.
The film is photographed with subtle, everyday artistry, and watching it was a special thrill as a few scenes were shot in Derby. I could barely suppress a squee when the action shift to what I thought was one of the streets I had lived in (on reflection, it wasn't, but I definitely recognise it).
Ok, so...this film is worth seeing. I think it should been seen by people of all ages. In fact, I think it would actually be much more beneficial to young people. Its an English Tokyo Story, a portrait of a family which is as enigmatic as it is revealing. Poignant, poetic and as I say, thoroughly refreshing.

4/5