Spencer

Tags

2020’s, Jack Farthing, Kristen Stewart, Pablo Larraín, Psychological Drama, Sally Hawkins, Sean Harris, Spencer, Timothy Spall

A piercing movie about the iconic Princess Diana as her marriage truly unravels and the scrutiny begins to take a toll, the unexpected and enthralling Spencer is aided by up close direction and a sensational portrayal destined for awards notice by Kristen Stewart.

The film takes place over the Christmas Holidays at Sandringham Estate where the Royal Family gathers. Princess Diana(Kristen Stewart) is late to the proceedings , which is noted by everyone else as something scandalous and controversial. Diana is obviously estranged from her husband Prince Charles(Jack Farthing) and is feeling the emotional strain of feeling on the outside of everything as her marriage continues to crumble . The main things that are keeping her reasonably steady are her two young sons , Prince William and Prince Harry, and her loyal personal dresser Maggie(Sally Hawkins) . We also have Equerry Major Alistair Gregory( Timothy Spall) and Royal Head Chef Darren McGrady(Sean Harris) are trying to in their own way to get through to her, but coming up against some resistance as they are members of the very machine Diana is up against. But it’s not going to easy for the rebel in Diana as mounting tension within  and her mental state beginning to collapse take hold of her. Diana attempts to navigate dangerous terrain as she flouts tradition and must eventually decide on the course of action for her precarious future. The days at prove crucial in her quest for freedom and identity.

Pablo Larraín seems to have a real fascination with and his gifts for cutting through the mystique are very much on show here in Spencer. We never quite know whether any of this actually transpired in the way shown, but it’s intriguing and startling nonetheless. One can see similarities with  Larraín’s other film of Jackie; where they diverge is in how unusual and how disturbingly heightened Spencer is overall, whereas Jackie was largely rooted in a sense of reality. But both movies are equally effective at deconstructing what we think we know about two famous women and are great companion pieces. Spencer is quite different from what you usually think of when something takes influence from a true story. While it does cover some familiar beats, it also deviates in its execution. For example, there are moments in this film that are truly horrifying and veer into psychological torment . In one instance, Diana hallucinates ripping a necklace of pearls that are around her neck and eating them rapidly with her soup. With the camerawork constantly keeping her in tight almost suffocating close up, we are witness to the horrors of a woman trapped in a cage and striving to escape as hallucinations and possibilities arise for Diana. Symbolism is ever present with mentions and allusions to entrapment and a desire to escape to a better time. Also watch for a tense scene between Charles and Diana around a pool table, it’s most certainly memorable as things begin to boil over. A striking and often very haunting score from Jonny Greenwood matches the heightened psychological and visual take on this story . It’s truly a fine weapon in this movie’s artillery and not easily forgettable with its prominent glides up and down in tempo and sense of gloom.

At the heart of Spencer is the sublime work from Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana. Stewart nails the famous mannerisms( tilting of the head, breathy voice and demure grace) while diving deeply into the river of sorrow of a woman clearly on the edge and starting to rebel. An inner fire, of sarcasm and also candour comes through as her mental state begins to worsen in paranoid fashion and Stewart unearths strength and a painfully human vulnerability that alternate almost simultaneously. I really think that Kristen Stewart should be expecting many an award nomination come the season for it and she thoroughly deserves it for her finest performance to date. The main other people who stand out are Timothy Spall, Sean Harris and Sally Hawkins . The ever impressive has a certain mystery about him as the who it at first appears is not in favour of Diana, but who it transpires has some sage advice for the rebel royal. Spall as always is a class act and is wonderfully cast. Sean Harris, who is always a welcome presence on screen, effectively plays the role of the cook who has sympathy for Diana and genuinely tries to advise her on things , even though he can’t really do much in terms of power or authority. Then we have Sally Hawkins who has an immensely reassuring aura as the royal dresser adept at playing the game and is sometimes quite unexpected in her actions as the film goes on. Jack Farthing his moments but is not really the crucial focus here as effective as he is in only a handful of scenes. The main cast is really good and pretty well assembled, but Spencer is truly a film where Kristen Stewart is the true MVP and what you won’t forget once the credits role. It’s truly her show and she delivers exceptionally. 

Brutally intimate, uncompromisingly heightened and daring, Spencer is another triumph from Pablo Larraín and has a simply stellar performance from Kristen Stewart at the heart of it

The Shape of Water

Tags

2010's, Doug Jones, Fantasy, Guillermo del Toro, Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg, Octavia Spencer, Richard Jenkins, Romance, Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water

The winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, The Shape of Water throughly merited this acclaim with its imaginative and universal story, beautifully haunting direction from Guillermo del Toro and top notch performances from an outstanding cast of actors. Plus, it stands as one of Guillermo del Toro’s finest films put to screen.

The year is 1962 and in a coastal area of Baltimore, Maryland, Elisa Esposito(Sally Hawkins)lives above a picture house that screens old movies to a pretty absent audience. She has been mute since childhood when she was found by the river with marking on her neck. An orphan who lives an ordered, almost ritualistic life, Elisa’s forms of companionship are closeted gay artist Giles(Richard Jenkins) and wise cracking and loyal co-worker Zelda Fuller(Octavia Spencer). Elisa and Zelda work in a government facility as cleaners, where they are expected to make things tidy and not ask any questions about the goings on within their workplace. One day, the facility has an arrival of a humanoid creature(Doug Jones) that comes courtesy of the finding of nasty government agent Colonel Strickland(Michael Shannon). He is head of the operation regarding investigating the creature, which mainly involves torturing it as he sees it as unholy, yet who himself is a self righteous hypocrite. Elisa becomes curious about the creature and begins to spend time with it. The creature responds to her and though it doesn’t talk either, they find a way to communicate with one another. Over time, a genuine love forms between them. This places her in danger as the people higher up than Strickland want to vivisect the creature and an enigmatic scientist by the name of Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg) has his own motives for studying the humanoid. Elisa, feeling emboldened by her newfound love and understanding, decides to help the humanoid escape. Though this is not going to be an easy operation and Strickland has grown suspicious of her and the consequences could be deadly for Elisa if she does not succeed in saving her lover. 

From the moment The Shape of Water opens with a submerged dream sequence involving Elisa’s water filled apartment and with narration from Giles, you know it’s a film by the masterful Guillermo del Toro. His strong presence and boundless imagination are on full display, twinned with a sensitive story of acceptance, love across the boundaries and understanding of what is deemed different. He was rightly rewarded with an Oscar for his poetic direction of this dark yet endearing movie that pays homage to monster movies of the 50’s, old Hollywood and Cold War intrigue, all wrapped in the confines of his exceptional vision. The Shape of Water is many things that it can be difficult to classify it as it mixes intense thriller suspense, socially aware drama and budding romance. His script, co written with Vanessa Taylor, grounds fantasy in a historical prism, exploring prejudice within the narrative. The main players in the story are all deemed outsiders;Elisa is mute, Giles is having to conceal his sexuality and Zelda faces adversity due to her skin colour. By featuring this aspect, it seems wholly appropriate that Elisa would find solace in the arms of a humanoid creature, who himself is tortured for being different at the hands of the ignorance of others. The message of accepting everyone’s differences and uniqueness is rendered excellently into the fantasy realm with a very human touch that’s simply irresistible. The Shape of Water is a beautifully engaging and unusual fairy tale, that retains a sense of almost childlike curiosity and wonder but is definitely a fantasy for mature audiences owing to violence, brutality and sexuality displayed in the story. This is aided by amazing, award winning production design that captures a darkness of the 60’s in terms of historical context and the ravishing cinematography( blue, green and red feature heavily) that transport us into the distant past via a fantasy romance that’s not afraid to be strikingly adult or daring. Alexandre Desplat earned his second Oscar for his sublime score that captures a wistful, romantic longing and sense of dreamlike joy, coupled with darkness and action when events start to deepen and the stakes of the story increase. 

One of the strongest aspects of The Shape of Water is the sensationally talented cast it boasts. Front and centre is the talented Sally Hawkins, who never lets me down when it comes to convincing acting that feels so true. She’s required to not speak a word, but displays a silent symphony of feelings from quiet delight, aching sadness and growing, admirable bravery in an exquisite anchoring portrayal. You buy all of this because of just how darn good Sally Hawkins is in this part. Hawkins injects Elisa with a deep humanity and sense of authenticity that it stands as one of her finest performances that truly shines in this romantic fantasy. She’s the beating heart of The Shape of Water and it simply wouldn’t be the same without her layered performance of dazzling emotion and winning, hopeful clarity. Hawkins is supported delightfully by Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer as the two people closest to her. Jenkins, who has been one of the most reliable character actors in what seems like forever, gives life and pathos to his acting as the artist having to suppress his sexuality in a world of ignorance. He’s something special here it must be said with his notes of humour and sympathy splendidly telegraphed. Octavia Spencer also brings her A-game as the loquacious best friend with attitude and conviction. You feel the energy of Spencer and also her understanding of the part, which shows her as tough but deep down longing, hurting yet extremely loyal to those closest and willing to defend them until the end. All three actors were rightfully nominated for Oscars for their respective performances here and they were much deserved.

As the Amphibian creature, Doug Jones, although covered entirely in a scaly suit and make up, brings out a curiosity and sinuous movement in his role. It’s a credit to him that we see the soul of the misunderstood creature and that’s high praise indeed. Although the humanoid is seen as the monster in the story, that title actually the fits the part of the vicious Strickland, played by the incredibly reliable Michael Shannon. He’s excellent as the bible spouting, bullying government agent who always needs to be in control. Shannon is fine when giving voice to Strickland’s frustrations and nastiness, but it’s often when he is silent with emerging rage and intensity that he’s most riveting to watch. Not to say that he’s better at one than the other, he’s amazing at blending both but there’s just something about the way he uses body language and his face that really sells it. Michael Stuhlbarg displays his skills as a secretive scientist with more going on that it seems behind the appearance of studious investigation. He’s nicely understated with his subtle turn as a man who ends up conflicted on what to do with regards to the creature. 

A beguilingly unusual but very touching fantasy romance about acceptance, love and bravery, The Shape of Water is a different but enthralling film that knows how to move the audience with its story, compelling craftsmanship by Guillermo del Toro and simply stellar cast, headed by the sublime Sally Hawkins.

Paddington

Tags

2010's, Adventure, Ben Whishaw, Comedy, Hugh Bonneville, Imelda Staunton, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, Michael Gambon, Nicole Kidman, Paddington, Paul King, Peter Capaldi, Sally Hawkins, Samuel Joslin

Film Title

Paddington

Director

Paul King

Starring

• Ben Whishaw as Paddington Bear
• Hugh Bonneville as Henry Brown
• Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown
• Julie Walters as Mrs. Bird
• Nicole Kidman as Millicent
• Madeleine Harris as Judy Brown
• Samuel Joslin as Jonathan Brown
• Peter Capaldi as Mr. Curry
• Jim Broadbent as Mr. Gruber
• Michael Gambon as Uncle Pastuzo
• Imelda Staunton as Aunt Lucy

A sprightly, adventure-filled and heartwarming take on the classic stories of Michael Bond’s marmalade loving, eponymous bear, Paddington is one of those movies that it’s hard to find fault with. Primarily, this stems from the fact it’s so much fun and an utter delight of comedy, heart and wonder.

We begin in the jungles of Darkest Peru, where we discover an English explorer happening upon two very intelligent bears with a love of marmalade. In time, he teaches them about modern life and even gets them to talk. Before heading back to civilisation he promises them a home in London if they should ever need it. The two bears, named Pastuzo and Lucy, have a nephew with them many years later; a curious and fun-loving bear who shares their taste for marmalade. But their harmony is shattered when an earthquake hits and kills Uncle Pastuzo. Aunt Lucy is getting older and can’t take care of Paddington as she once could. she remembers the explorer’s words of promise about there always being a home in London. Stowing her nephew into a cargo ship, she bids him farewell in the hope he will find a happy, new home. Upon arrival in London, he is met with hostility and all hope for a lovely, caring family to take care of him seems lost. That is until he encounters the Brown Family at Paddington Station. The mother, Mary, gives him the name Paddington and being a kind, considerate person, she offers to house him in her home. Her fussy and killjoy husband Henry, who is obsessed with keeping things risk-free, is completely against the idea of Paddington living with them. The children Judy and Jonathan, are thrilled to have Paddington with them, despite their father’s trepidation. Paddington is most curious to know more about the professor who visited Darkest Peru all those years ago and roping the family into things, he gets them into a whirl of unintentional mischief and laughs. But there is an evil taxidermist by the name of Millicent who has discovered Paddington and will stop at nothing to make him part of her sinister collection, now on his tail. Cue much mayhem, thrills and adventure for the bear and the Brown Family.

Paul King directs with an enormous amount of heart, humour and deeply felt love that explodes from almost every frame. It will take someone with a real damp view of life to not smile or have fun with a movie such as this. King just pushes all the right buttons of raucous humour, heartfelt sentiment and just plain adventure in a way that is spellbinding and an utter delight throughout. sense of magic and feel good factor it has going for it. It’s adventure of the highest level that proves totally sprightly and accessible to all ages. The blending of CGI in the title character and the real-life surroundings, that are continuously colourful, is seamlessly done. On a visual level, Paddington scores major points. The bright as a button colour scheme and adventurous ways of showcasing this zany fable are here in a glorious pot of love. And speaking of love, the film truly gets across the message of accepting people and loving one another beautifully and with clarity. The humour covers a wide spectrum from the mischievous and playful(Paddington accidentally flooding the Brown’s bathroom for starters) to nods and winks to older members of the audience, without missing a beat or getting overstuffed. It’s rare to come across a film such as Paddington that can be a ball for everyone watching. It has a style and care to it that many movies that aim for every age can sometimes miss in the long run. The high-reaching and upbeat score are on full duty; bringing out the simply amazing story and film that it accompanies. Put quite simply, you couldn’t ask for a more enchanting movie than Paddington.

Ben Whishaw beautifully voices the title bear with a childlike adventure and sense of mischief. His relaxing tones and enthusiasm can be heard so well that it’s really difficult to imagine another person voicing Paddington with the same skill as Whishaw has. Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins play well off one another as total opposite mum and dad. Bonneville is staid, careful and unwilling to entertain fancy notions, Hawkins is imaginative, lovely and slightly zany. Both consummate actors invest a lot into their respective roles(which also goes for pretty much the entire cast, who are finely assembled). The ever-dependable Julie Walters has a whole bundle of fun as the elderly relative of the Brown’s, whose quick wit and precision with cleaning ensures things are up to her tidy standards. Nicole Kidman is a dark delight as the villain of the piece; a Cruella like woman who wants to add Paddington to her collection. Kidman is both menacing and tongue in cheek funny, while also embodying something seductively devious too. It’s obvious that she had a really fun time playing this type of character just from the looks on her face. Child actors Madeleine Harris and Samuel Joslin are ideal for the roles of the Brown children who take the bear under their wing. Peter Capaldi is very amusing and slimy as the local nosy neighbour getting in trouble with the evil taxidermist, while Jim Broadbent provides sage as a man who helps point Paddington in the direction of what he seeks. Briefly found voicing Paddington’s relatives in Darkest Peru are Michael Gambon and Imelda Staunton, whose pathos and warmth are felt from the get go, despite only being on the screen for a short duration.

Hilarious, riotously entertaining and aimed at all ages, Paddington takes its place as a firm favourite that will pull you in with its message of family and its massive beating centre that is the lovable bear.

Cassandra’s Dream

Tags

2000's, Cassandra's Dream, Clare Higgins, Colin Farrell, Drama, Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Sally Hawkins, Thriller, Tom Wilkinson, Woody Allen

Film Title

Cassandra’s Dream

Director

Woody Allen

Starring

• Ewan McGregor as Ian
• Colin Farrell as Terry
• Tom Wilkinson as Uncle Howard
• Hayley Atwell as Angela
• Sally Hawkins as Kate
• Clare Higgins as Dorothy

A dramatic thriller from Woody Allen that suffers from odd pacing, a none too special script that rehashes old ideas Allen has explored in other movies more successfully and lack of involving events, Cassandra’s Dream had currency but nearly every element conspires against it and we’re left  watching a sub par film from a talented director.

Ian and Terry are two cockney brothers; the oldest Ian helps his somewhat  lax father in his restaurant, whereas Terry works as a mechanic in a local garage and is engaged to the sweet Kate. What binds both of the brothers is the sense of financial dissatisfaction. This is heightened even more when Ian meets the beautiful but demanding actress , who he becomes very attracted to. Having always had aspirations to set up hotels in the Suns of California, inspires Ian to make some money to fulfill his dreams but also benefit her in the long run. Terry, who is prone to booze and excessive gambling despite being a well-meaning man, falls into debt and owes a lot of money to loan sharks who know how to hurt. With both brothers desperate for monetary stability and fast, help seems to come in the shape of their Uncle Howard, who they have always looked up to. He has helped the family in the past and being a self-made man, has worked his way up to being a millionaire. Yet for all this hard work, a lot of his deals have been on the very shady side. He agrees to endow his nephews if they first do one thing for him. It appears that one of Howard’s associates is threatening to expose some of his less than savory antics. The cunning and sinister Howard says the only way to stop his crook tactics in business from being exposed is to have the man killed, which he asks Ian and Terry to carry out. Both brothers are shocked by what he is asking them to do, but both come round to the idea( despite Terry becoming still twitchy about the lack of morality.) The brothers eventually manage to carry out the murderous deed successfully, but it begins to change their relationship. Ian, who wanted the money to keep up with high maintenance Angela, decides to think as if nothing happened as he becomes enamoured with the lump sum coming his way. On the other hand, Terry becomes eaten up by unspeakable guilty that consumes him more and more each day that leads to the shattering of him and his brother’s close friendship and spells very bad circumstances for both men.

While it must be stated that Woody Allen is a very gifted director and writer, Cassandra’s Dream doesn’t really paint his talent in the best way because of a number of issues and inconsistencies. You see Cassandra’s Dream is billed as a dramatic thriller with a morality theme at the centre(much like many of Allen’s later movies), yet it is curiously neither thrilling or dramatic. Granted, there are a few scenes with a bit of tension, yet none of them feel very suspenseful or at all that riveting. The way that the pace varies from very quick to a snail-like drudge does not help matters whatsoever. Cassandra’s Dream may be set in London like Match Point, but whereas that movie really had an urgency and dealt with themes of ambition, a sense of wealth and the cruelty of life, the same can’t be said of this misstep. A lot of it feels very clichéd and unlike some of his other work, many characters aren’t interesting enough as people to invest in or relate to. Thankfully there is at least some respite to be found in a gloomy visual style and a moody score from Philip Glass, that lends a degree of darkness to the film which it sorely lacks throughout a lot of it.

One other thing that keeps Cassandra’s Dream at least bearable is most of the cast, who rise above the somewhat checkered source material to turn in good work despite the script’s shortcomings. Despite them both sporting dodgy cockney accents, Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell impress the brothers in predicaments and torn apart by their actions. Ewan McGregor makes Ian likable and the most ambitious of the two, who seems to become more avaricious after committing murder and wanting the good life. Colin Farrell is the real standout, wearing his heart on his sleeve as the nervous Terry. Never has Farrell shown so much vulnerability and gentleness before, but here he really makes quite the impact with this change of pace as the emotionally tormented man forced into a dire situation that ruins him from the inside. As excellent as Tom Wilkinson is as the scheming and blackmailing Uncle Howard, I would have preferred to see more of him as I am a big fan of Tom Wilkinson. That doesn’t mean that he was bad here, he is far from it, he just feels shortchanged and not featured enough in the story, especially as his actions have a lot of effect on the story. Despite the underwritten nature of their characters, Hayley Atwell and Sally Hawkins do their best as the demanding, opportunistic Angela who bewitches Ian and the caring and tolerant Kate, who starts to worry for boyfriend Terry. The same can’t be said of Claire Higgins who is criminally wasted as the boy’s mother.

With little in the way of thrills or tension, Cassandra’s Dream falls very flat and despite some good parts, none can make up for the disjointed quality of what ranks as one Woody Allen’s weakest outings as director.

Blue Jasmine

Tags

2010's, Alec Baldwin, Andrew Dice Clay, Blue Jasmine, Bobby Cannavale, Cate Blanchett, Drama, Louis C.K., Peter Sarsgaard, Sally Hawkins, Woody Allen

Film Title

Blue Jasmine

Director

Woody Allen

Starring

• Cate Blanchett as Jasmine
• Sally Hawkins as Ginger
• Alec Baldwin as Hal
• Bobby Cannavale as Chili
• Andrew Dice Clay as Augie
• Louis C.K. as Al
• Peter Sarsgaard as Dwight

A strong drama/tragedy from the pen and direction of Woody Allen populated with acerbic dialogue and an exceptional cast headed by an award-winning Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine emerges as one of his most scathing and seriously darker films.

Jasmine was not so long ago a wealthy socialite with everything she could ask for. That is until it was revealed that her husband Hal was a fraudster and who was subsequently arrested for his shady dealings. Now penniless and recovering from a nervous breakdown, Jasmine heads to San Francisco to stay with her adopted sister Ginger. Ginger is less well off than Jasmine, but is hard-working and never bemoans it. Yet while she is doing Jasmine a favour by putting her up, she may have wished she hadn’t . You see Jasmine is not an easy or at all pleasant person to be around. The once rich society princess has a sense of entitlement that causes her to sneer at Ginger’s choices in lifestyle and men, like her latest boyfriend grease monkey Chili. In between popping pills, wittering on to herself about the old glories and hitting the booze whenever she can get her hands on it, Jasmine completely starts to unravels emotionally as her bubble bursts. Jasmine alienates those around her and people like Ginger’s ex husband Augie, who was ripped off by Jasmine’s husband are far from happy to see her swanning back into town as if nothing has happened. Through flashbacks, we begin to get a picture of her life before that she clings to with alarmingly delusional flights of fancy that are leading her down the dangerous path to another nervous breakdown.

The dark drama within Blue Jasmine unfolds very well, courtesy of fantastic and withering direction from Woody Allen. I especially liked the way he cut the flashbacks with the present. It isn’t anything complicated or flashy, it is events shown when a certain topic is brought up about Jasmine and we get answers from it.  There is a reminiscent quality about the structure of the flashbacks, which is very apt seeing as Jasmine is still completely in the past and refusing to step out of it. While Woody Allen is a master of comedy, he is also pretty adept at crafting drama. If you want a drama from him, look no further than Blue Jasmine. Humour may have a part in the movie, but like the dark tone of it, the humour comprises of scalding one-liners, biting indictments of the rich and watching Jasmine continue to delude herself that her life is still flashy and amazing. I’m liking seeing Woody Allen direct drama as he has a definite flair for this dark type of drama, tinged with bits of black comedy and vicious wit. Sure at times the narrative can flounder a little, but that is a very minor flaw in what is a very successful movie. A bright visual style showcasing San Francisco is laced with a biting irony at the darkness of the story as Jasmine heads towards the razor’s edge of insanity. A soundtrack of blues and jazz underpins the dark, tragic and pathetic nature of Jasmine’s plight, which is in one way done by her own hand.

What really dominates Blue Jasmine is the bravura performance from Cate Blanchett, that garnered her a well deserved Oscar. The character of Jasmine must have been difficult to play because of how much her emotions veer from one to the other, but Blanchett effortlessly turns in a performance that doesn’t hit a false note. The character of Jasmine is not likable; she’s bitchy, snotty and holds contempt for those who she judges to be beneath her station. Yet with Blanchett in the role, she invests it with not so much a sympathy but a reason that Jasmine is a victim of her own selfishness who simply can’t let go of her past riches and is pathetic, strangely tragic and emotionally ruined to say the least. You simply can’t take your eyes off Blanchett in her portrayal of the slowly disintegrating Jasmine and it stands as one of her best performances. Sally Hawkins provides a great foil to Blanchett’s bitchy Jasmine in the form of down to earth Ginger. She gives her part a genuine niceness tempered with a quiet strength that is soon unleashed as she grows weary of her sister’s behaviour and disapproving attitude. Ginger is a character that you can relate to more because she is rational and while not exactly thrilled at her social standing, works hard enough and sacrifices to make ends meet. Alec Baldwin, shown in flashback is the charming shark who lead Jasmine right up the garden path. Baldwin portrays the smooth operator with a smug and scheming personality with relish. Bobby Cannavale, boasting a blue-collar attitude and big heart is very good as Chili, whose temper is ignited by the way Jasmine looks down upon him. Andrew Dice Clay is well cast as Augie, who was duped by one of Hal’s schemes and came off a lot worse, while Louis C.K. is good as another possible love interest for Ginger. Rounding out the proceedings is Peter Sarsgaard as a wannabe politician who indulges Jasmine’s delusions of grandeur.

With a biting, tart wit and deft direction, Woody Allen conjures up one of his strongest films of late, that is jet-black in terms of humour and is more akin to a tragedy. And with Cate Blanchett on absolutely stellar form as the socialite fallen on hard times and slowly adrift in a sea of delusions, what more could you ask for?

Never Let Me Go

Tags

2010's, Andrew Garfield, Carey Mulligan, Charlotte Rampling, Drama, Keira Knightley, Mark Romanek, Never Let Me Go, Sally Hawkins, Science Fiction

Film Title

Never Let Me Go

Director

Mark Romanek

Starring

• Carey Mulligan as Kathy H
• Andrew Garfield as Tommy D
• Keira Knightley as Ruth C
• Sally Hawkins as Miss Lucy
• Charlotte Rampling as Miss Emily
• Isobel Meikle-Small as Young Kathy
• Ella Purnell as Young Ruth
• Charlie Rowe as Young Tommy

Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go is a haunting evocation on the subject of mortality. Capturing the mournful undercurrents of the story and featuring three impressive central performances, Mark Romanek directs this poignant story of the human soul.

To the outside world, Hailsham looks like any other boarding school. Yet it is far from it. In the opening frames of the movie, the audience sees things that seem somewhat different to the expectations of an English boarding school. The students scan their wrists on sensors around the school and take unnamed tablets every morning. For Kathy, Tommy and Ruth, this is the way they have been brought up, yet there is the lingering feeling that something isn’t quite right about the schools ethos. Narrated by Kathy, we witness the three central characters growing up in this peculiar environment in which they are forbidden to pass the boundary separating the school from the outside world. This isolating existence adds to the enigmas surrounding the trio. When they learn their destiny from their new teacher Miss Lucy, which I won’t divulge for fear of spoiling it, it changes everything about them. Years later, the characters are grown up and have left Hailsham for somewhere else. Yet there is still the searching for answers regarding their fate that plagues quiet Kathy, awkward Tommy and jealous Ruth. Kathy is in love with Tommy but as she doesn’t want to upset the balance of friendship stays quiet as he courts Ruth. The jealousy and tenuous link at many times almost breaks as they navigate their way through realisation, grief and love. For the trio, a normal life is not an option and various questions are posed throughout Never Let Me Go surrounding the human soul and the nature of existence. Poignant, poetic and profound, Never Let Me Go asks many questions of us an audience and all we can do is witness the sadness, emotions and strange beauty of the film that will haunt almost anyone who sees it.

Alex Garland’s screenplay sensitively depicts the realisation of events and the effect it has on the close friendship shared between these characters with no knowledge of the outside world. By parts science fiction and drama with a romance at the heart, Never Let Me Go manages to balance these with stunning and powerful results. Mark Romanek’s subtle direction frames the story in melancholy and evocative colours which allows the story to reveal certain surprising points with a quiet unpredictability and intelligence. Rachel Portman contributes a stunning score of love, anguish and closeness that really lends the film a massive emotional impact as these characters decipher their shocking destiny and are faced with difficult decisions.

What really gives Never Let Me Go an emotional heart is the three central performances of Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley. Carey Mulligan is the most effective in her portrayal of Kathy, who narrates the story. Some may say the role seems passive, when actually it is filled with quiet, determined emotion and a certain weariness that Mulligan excellent embodies with deep pathos and skill. It is a role filled with passion, intelligence and power that Carey Mulligan delivers with deep emotional weight. Andrew Garfield contributes a wide-eyed naive quality to Tommy as he journeys through a discovery for the truth whilst dealing with his feelings for both Kathy and Ruth. Garfield is very subtle but hugely impressive in this role, and when he releases his emotion later on in the film it is such a harrowing moment. Rounding out the troika is Keira Knightley’s performance as Ruth, whose jealousy burns as she sees how Kathy clearly adores her boyfriend. But Knightley intelligently doesn’t make Ruth a one-dimensional character, she shows us the caring side that want to hold on to her friends and the aggressive side that surfaces when provoked.  All of the actors portraying the characters as children are exceptional as they have an uncanny resemblance to their older characters and possess deep emotions for people so young. Sally Hawkins has a brief but highly emotional role as the teacher who informs the students of their destiny and Charlotte Rampling is suitably imperious and enigmatic as the headmistress of Hailsham.

Crafted with poignancy and full of deep, far-reaching themes, Never Let Me Go is a haunting film that will live long in the memory.