The Giver

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Rachel S @RT66423747 Sep 26, 2026 This is the worst book rendition and one of the worst movies I’ve ever watched. It’s over dramatic for a simple book and has so many made up scenes. I expected most of the movie to focus on Jonas’ relationship with The Giver and their secret knowledge instead of Fiona’s boring character. The oldest Elder really irritated me because she’s supposed to be unimportant and barely present. The escape scenes were so dramatic and inaccurate. Jonas supposedly being 18 but clearly looking 23 eliminated the child curiosity and took away the book’s spark. Taylor Swift playing Rosemary made a joke of the character. The important scenes were too rushed. Horrible, horrible movie. See more Jack B @RT98375145 Sep 23, 2026 This movie is all over the place in terms of plot and characters. The movie also is just way too quick to keep up with. I can't tell if the characters are supposed to be original or the same to the book. Overall, this movie shouldn't be watched as you can choose a better movie than this slop. See more Charlotte D @RT34965990 Sep 22, 2026 This movie is horrendous, the acting is awful, the story is straight DOOKIE, the cinematography is bad and mostly stock footage, the set looks like a highschool play with no budget. The thoughts and 'point' of the movie are so disjointed and heavy handed. The world building is so minimal I forgot there even was a world. I felt my brain atrophying with shear disbelief just watching this train wreck, the only reason I kept watching was because I told someone I would. Every time someone talks in this movie it's like you can see them regretting the words coming from their mouths before they finish the sentence/ 6 hour long monologue. Jonah's hair was also just so incredibly obnoxious, especially in black and white, like you can almost give a movie some grace if it's in black and white because it feels old, but his clapped aah hair cut brought me out of it every time. Don't watch this you have too much to live for 😘 See more Cooper D @Benji83 Sep 15, 2026 ts lowkey booty cheecks and dont bother reading or watching the book ima e honest tho i kinda nutted to it from harvey leigh See more Mitchel R @RT89815859 Aug 20, 2026 4.0 of 5 as a Big Brother cautionary tale. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and many cult leaders all thought they'd found the miracle keys to Utopia. Stalin said there would be mass purging of evil, then they’d have paradise. Making everyone wear the same clothes and draw the same salary doesn’t do anything to curb the worst of human nature. Communism has failed everywhere it was tried, but some American youth want to repeat this mistake, thinking they could get it right. Big sweeping changes rarely work and often are evil to the bone; playing word games like calling murder "the release." Yes, we should try new things but very carefully, testing them fully before full-blown launch. But powerful leaders with big ideas never have the patience for rationality. This also applies to release of factory-made chemicals and drugs. For the first time in history we can create cures rapidly (mRNA vaccines), but what if one of these miracle cures kills millions? Test fully and disclose honestly. See more Chris S @Janomi Jun 28, 2026 The Giver presents one of the more thought-provoking ideas in young-adult science fiction. A society that has eliminated pain, conflict, and emotion in exchange for peace and stability raises fascinating questions about memory, free will, love, and what it truly means to be human. Director Phillip Noyce reinforces those ideas beautifully through the gradual introduction of color, a simple but effective visual representation of Jonas's awakening. Jeff Bridges brings warmth, wisdom, and quiet sadness to the Giver, while Meryl Streep is appropriately cold and calculating as the Chief Elder. Their performances give the film much of its emotional weight. The biggest drawback is that the adaptation simplifies many of the novel's philosophical ideas, making the story feel more conventional than its source material. The ending also arrives a little too quickly after a deliberate buildup. Even so, its meaningful themes and strong performances make The Giver a worthwhile adaptation. See more Read all reviews

The Giver

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