Never Let Me Go

Being a fan of Kazuo Ishiguro, I just had to drop by and say, “The book beats the movie!” 🙂 But on a serious note, I admit translating the magical atmosphere, deep layered character emotions, and Ishiguro’s distinctive language to the screen is no small feat, as Ishiguro himself humorously noted in an interview, saying, “I try to write un-filmable novels.”

The 2010 film ‘Never Let Me Go,’ based on Ishiguro’s novel, directed by Mark Romanek and written by Alex Garland, delves into the intriguing question of whether clones, created solely for organ donation, can feel emotions and love. And if so, the ethical dilemma of “killing” them to save others makes it even more interesting.

To be honest, while the film didn’t quite excite me, I think British screenwriter Alex Garland did a decent job staying true to the novel. Examining Garland’s filmography, which includes works like ‘Ex Machina’ and ’28 Days Later,’ it becomes clear why he was chosen for this dystopian sci-fi project.

And lastly, what catches my interest is the 2022 announcement of a TV series adaptation of ‘Never Let Me Go,’ only to be canceled a year later. I can’t help but wonder what went down in the ‘development hell’. I imagine Ishiguro after getting the news, grins and tells proudly “I told you so! Un-filmable…”