(Grade B)
Based off the best selling novel that debuted in the early 90’s, The Giver finally comes to big screen. Like the Hunger Games and Divergent series, The Giver offers another looked into a dystopian world and provides a cautionary tale to its’ viewers. The story is set in a futuristic community that strives to maintain a society that is void of emotion, conflict, color, and love.The society’s goal is to maintain “sameness”, but they preserve all the memories and emotions of the past with one person, the Giver. The film focuses on a young man name Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) who has been chosen to be the receiver of memories. As Jonas begins receiving memories from the Giver, he soon learns the dark secrets of the past.
While the film starts out a little slow, it soon finds its’ footing and provides many scenes that are very emotionally charged and thought provoking. I often found myself being moved by a scene, pondering it’s meaning, and wishing there was more time to sit and think about it. What adds to the great emotion are the brilliant uses of visuals and music. The scenes in which Jonas receives his memories play out exceptionally well. The film also does a marvelous job at using color to set the mood, and emotionally engage the viewers to help you feel like you are part of Jonas’s journey.
The cast though is a little hit or miss. Some of the younger actors don’t quite measure up to their senior co-stars. Jeff Bridges (Iron Man, True Grit ) who plays the Giver is excellent, as usual, and Meryl Streep (Iron Lady, The Devil Wears Prada) , the films antagonist, does great work in her role. I think Katie Holmes (Batman Begins), who’s known for her emotionless acting, finally found
the perfect role. I also found myself wishing they would have dug a little deeper and explored the source material more. There are also a few plot lines that I wish they would have fleshed out a bit more. There’s one involving a character named Rosemary, played by Taylor Swift, (yes she’s in this and actually does a good job in her small role) that I felt could have used a bit more time exploring. Also, the love story felt a little bit forced. However, overall this is a solid film with great visuals, a great story, and thought provoking themes and messages.
Content Overview
The Giver is rated PG-13. There is no foul language or sexuality. It earns it’s rating from a brief war sequence that depicts intense war violence. The film also includes some mature thematic elements, which includes the euthanasia of babies and the elderly. Check out this complete parents guide.
Messages to Discuss
Many people fight to take away our ability to choose. We must learn to make choices for ourselves. (Abraham 3) Without the ability to choose, we cannot experience joy, love, or emotion. In order to know joy we must experience pain. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and part of our purpose here is to experience joy. Joy can be found in the small things in life. Seek to use our agency for good. (2 Nephi 2, D&C: 58:27) Faith, Hope, and Love are essential characteristics to develop. (Moroni 7)
