Island of Hope Based on the story of friendship and love of special donors of organs doomed to death at a young age, another director would shoot a wonderful thriller filled with exposing terrible secrets and insidious intrigues.
But comparing Ishiguro’s novel to his adaptation, we can conclude that the filmmakers deliberately avoided the presence on the screen of any conflicts and even the intersection of two worlds – people and their unwitting donors. One world is always in a hurry, fuss and ready to do much to prolong them. The other, heilsham-cottage, is lost in time and space amid the trash of old porn magazines, broken children's toys and silly TV series. This is an island with nowhere to escape. And that emptys with each new notch of someone's kidney, eye or heart. Someone's cherished childhood memories turning a vulgar tavern song into a lullaby. "Never let me go," Katie sings in Hailsham's bedroom, hugging a pillow.
The image of Katie was very successful: Carey Mulligan played her role for a hundred. The intelligent and calm girl was able to find herself in a world of forced identity and painted by the days of her life. It is a good example to learn how to use our freedom. Ruth's image, unfortunately, is not so clear. The book dramatically shows the transformation of a brisk girl leader into a confused donor, with indifference accepting her fate.
The tragedy of half-love, which will never end in marriage and the birth of children, is expressed by the hopeless cry of Tommy on a dark night in the English province. In general, this tragedy is the main melody of the film, in the mood bringing it closer to “Atonement” with the same Keira Knightley. A melody in which one cannot but hear the irresistible hope of living.
8 out of 10
Original