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Never Let Me Go

Play trailer 2:31 Poster for Never Let Me Go R 2010 1h 44m Drama Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
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71% Tomatometer 186 Reviews 70% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Friends Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield) and Ruth (Keira Knightley) grow up together at a seemingly idyllic boarding school in the English countryside. When they leave the school and the horrible truth of their true purpose is revealed to them, they must simultaneously confront deep-seated feelings of love, jealousy and betrayal that threaten to tear their friendship asunder.
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Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go

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Critics Consensus

With Never Let Me Go, Mark Romanek has delivered a graceful adaptation that captures the spirit of the Ishiguro novel -- which will be precisely the problem for some viewers.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator 08/30/2018
Perhaps such passive solemnity is true to the book, but on screen, along with the sad tinkling piano and the sad violins that just won't quit, the overall effect is so enervating that you simply don't feel a damned thing. Go to Full Review Kaleem Aftab Independent (UK) 05/15/2018
The lack of dramatic tension means it's difficult to emotionally connect with the central characters and their dilemma. Go to Full Review Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online 09/08/2017
C+
The script could have done better to translate the concept. It works as a big picture concept, but doesn't get the treatment it deserves here. Go to Full Review Stephen A. Russell Orion's Shoulder (Substack) 03/06/2025
The psychological damage the reality of cloning unleashes in this acting tour de force of inexorable fate is as yuck-making as it’s possible to be. Go to Full Review Michael Leader Den of Geek 05/07/2024
4/5
Ishiguro's gentle science fiction concept is rendered with melancholy subtlety by Romanek. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 08/03/2023
3.5/4
This disturbing narrative about believable characters in their fatalistic world offers an affecting drama that stays with the viewer long after the film has ended. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Pavit M @RT00818567 Apr 19 Beautiful, poignant, and wonderfully acted. See more keven Q @kevenquinlan Mar 4 This movie was awful. It was made proper, it's the MATERIAL that was shite. I'm sorry but humans have a root motivation TO SURVIVE AT ALL COSTS. This movie so eschews that basic tenet as to be impossible to believe on ANY level. There is NO WAY everyone would just be resigned to their fate, especially when you have people who are in love or have feelings for each other- that makes it even MORE impossible. You can make unbelievable sci-fi, a dystopian classic, murder/horror, etc... but you CAN'T make people do things people wouldn't do. You only see that in Absurdist movies and besides those sucking, the people that DO like them can tolerate that you won't see any real interaction in it. It's impossible to feel or connect with any character that Doesn't act like most humans act, even if it's outrageously. The more IP watched this movie= the more I HATED IT. It's author should've never been published, is that where books are no-a-days? Pfft. See more Demetris A @RT47166951 Dec 27 Weird and macabre but I’ve seen worse. In The 74 Emanuel movie they were feasting on live monkey’s brains. All it is is shock and awe! See more Linus H @linus1335f Dec 24 Not bad but the book is just better in every way, go read it instead. And no, I actually watched the movie first, then read the book. The book is just so much better, truly one of the best Ive ever read. See more Dave O @Dave_ Dec 19 The way the movie is made is a little dull and has a wierd feel to it. It’s an interesting idea and it should be more gripping, but you don’t have any connection to the characters. They focus so heavily on the love triangle thing that you forget that they’re even clones made for live organ trafficking: which is kind of an important point to the movie. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone but it wasn’t terrible. See more Jonny M. @jonnycqua Nov 1 I mean… I’m depressed, so I absolutely loved it. 🙃🙂 See more Read all reviews
Never Let Me Go

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Mark Romanek

Director

Carey Mulligan

Kathy

Andrew Garfield

Tommy

Keira Knightley

Ruth

Izzy Meikle-Small

Young Kathy

Ella Purnell

Young Ruth

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Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go: Trailer 1 Never Let Me Go: Trailer 1 2:31 View more videos
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Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go (2010) Never Let Me Go (2010) Never Let Me Go (2010) (L-R) Carey Mulligan as Kathy, Keira Knightley as Ruth and Andrew Garfield as Tommy in "Never Let Me Go." (L-R) Domhnall Gleeson as Rodney, Carey Mulligan as Kathy, Keira Knightley as Ruth and Andrea Riseborough as Chrissie in "Never Let Me Go." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Friends Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield) and Ruth (Keira Knightley) grow up together at a seemingly idyllic boarding school in the English countryside. When they leave the school and the horrible truth of their true purpose is revealed to them, they must simultaneously confront deep-seated feelings of love, jealousy and betrayal that threaten to tear their friendship asunder.
Director
Mark Romanek
Producer
Allon Reich, Andrew Macdonald
Screenwriter
Alex Garland
Distributor
Fox
Production Co
DNA Films, Film 4, Fox Searchlight
Rating
R (Sexuality|Nudity)
Genre
Drama, Sci-Fi
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 15, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 26, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.4M
Runtime
1h 44m