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Would you blindly accept the doomed fate chosen for you by society if it meant that someone else could have their life extended past 100 years? For the three characters involved in a love triangle in sluggish drama Never Let Me Go, the answer is yes.

The story begins vaguely ominous when we are told a medical breakthrough occurred in 1952 and because of it, by 1967 people could live past 100 years. Fast-forward to 1978 and an innocent-looking English boarding school where we are introduced to the story’s three central characters – Kathy (Carey Mulligan, An Education), Tommy (Andrew Garfield, The Social Network and the next Spider-Man) and Ruth (Keira Knightley, Pride & Prejudice).

Kathy is the sweet, gentle type who develops a crush on Tommy, an outcast who’s always picked last and has fits of over-the-top anger. Ruth is the manipulative, vindictive type who swoops in and steals Tommy away from Kathy. The latter then pines away for Tommy for the rest of their tragic lives.

As this doomed, 16-year love triangle unfolds, we gather bits of information about why the boarding school children live in isolation and why they are forced to wear electronic bracelets. A teacher loses her job when she tells the children, who stare blankly at her, that none of them will live past their twenties. Society has deemed their sacrifice as donors is for the greater good since their existence, which they believe is soulless, guarantees them a longer life.

What’s not guaranteed is an engrossing cinematic experience while watching Never Let Me Go. True, Knightley delivers a wonderful turn as a thoroughly unlikable, yet slightly pitiable character even if she’s unbelievable as an 18-year-old. Mulligan’s performance is a little too understated while Garfield is solid as the proverbial can that everyone kicks around.

Director Mark Romanek’s most famous cinematic effort to date, One Hour Photo, was tense and disturbing. However, with Never Let Me Go he fails to generate a level of suspense we can sink our teeth into. Furthermore, the story’s pacing runs as slow as molasses in the dead of winter and almost reaches a state of pure boredom.

Based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro (The Remains of the Day), the alternate reality proposed in Never Let Me Go is unsettling and thought-provoking, but Romanek’s gray-skied attempt only provokes the urge to look at your watch.

On a letter grade scale from “A” being excellent to “F” for failing, Never Let Me Go receives a C.

Never Let Me Go is rated R and has a running time of 103 minutes.

Now showing through October 14^th @
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square, 4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO
Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 913-383-7756 for more information.

By Michael D. Smith

Indie Film Editor

Michael D. Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri followed by a Master of Arts in history at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Inspired by such critics as Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, Michael started reviewing films in 1992 for College of the Ozarks's student-run newspaper. After returning to the Kansas City area in 1994, he continued film reviewing by writing for the Cass County Democrat Missourian in Harrisonville.

In 2000 Michael joined Sun Publications in Overland Park, Kansas where he served as its film critic and Arts and Entertainment Editor. During his tenure there, he was also the film critic for the "Fine Arts Radio Hour" and "Celebrity Scoop" radio shows on KXTR. After leaving the Sun in late 2002, he became the A&E writer for the Olathe News in Olathe, Kansas. He also worked as a freelance writer for The Squire in Leawood, Showcase Publishing in Lake Ozark, Missouri and the Kansas City Star.

Michael is currently a member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, a professional film critic organization established in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser.