But Then Again

Now that I recollect, I did post an entry about the movie 'Never Let Me Go' somewhere last year when I knew that the award-winning novel had been adapted for silver screen. An avid fan of the novel that I have been since I first touched it, naturally I was beyond thrilled when the news about the adaptation being circulated. However, the excitement was short-lived when there were scarcely any indications about the film being screened here in Malaysia. I was deeply dejected, for it wasn't the first time movies that had been adapted from my all-time favorite novels didn't make it to local cinemas. Another case in point: P.S I Love you. One of my close friends, Michelle, was lucky though for she was in Singapore when P.S I Love You got viewing there while I ended up catching it just on my laptop screen. Just like last night for 'Never Let Me Go'.

The only difference is that, while P.S I Love You slightly let me down for its adaptation version, the film version of Never Let Me Go was amazingly, utterly and breathtakingly beautiful.

I am not going to tattle much, for I am out of words to describe just how beautiful the film is. Carry Mulligan, Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield who play Kathy, Ruth and Tommy respectively displayed an exquisite and splendid acting to impersonate the three characters. It's so unbelievably alive and you can feel their laughter, tears, fears, hope and love as the film goes deeper and deeper and revealing the terrible truth in the end. Of course, there's no sudden and horrid truth for those who have read the novel, but the film is craftily adapted it makes you temporarily forget that you have read it before and all you want more than anything is to be taken and immersed deeper into the movie just to feel those emotions all over again. It's just unbelievable. Unbelievable.

So for those who haven't watched it, go, go, go and go. It's going to be so worthy of your time and everything that you ditch in between just to watch it. But for those who haven't read the novel, it is my painful duty to inform you that you will feel the film more if you have read the novel because of the complexity and heaviness of the themes and messages. But believe me, it will all pay off.

To Kazuo Ishiguro, thank you for the beautiful novel. I can never forget the good times that I had and all the raw emotions that felt while reading it that made me human and again the intense and thought-provoking discussions while learning the novel in one of my literature classes. And thank you for allowing it to be adapted into such a wonderful, wonderful piece of art. I am certain you would agree that they have done such a splendid job adapting it.

To Mark Romanek, thank you for adapting and directing the novel. Other directors must be envious of you, and they should be. You show that adapting does not require rigorous changes in the storyline. You honor the novel by staying true to its original plot and essence and messages, and you do not betray us, those who love the novel as the way it is.

Beautiful. Simply Beautiful.