Never Let Me Go (2010)

Director:

Mark Romanek

Writers:

Kazuo Ishiguro (novel)
Alex Garland (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 November 2010 (Chile)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The story of three friends who are tragically born to lead short lives, and the love triangle that forms between them in their brief time together.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Love Triangle | Children | Childhood | Boarding School

Awards:

6 wins & 22 nominations

Cast

Carey Mulligan	...	Kathy
Andrew Garfield	...	Tommy
Izzy Meikle-Small	...	Young Kathy (as Isobel Meikle-Small)
Charlie Rowe	...	Young Tommy
Ella Purnell	...	Young Ruth
Charlotte Rampling	...	Miss Emily
Sally Hawkins	...	Miss Lucy
Kate Bowes Renna	...	Miss Geraldine
Hannah Sharp	...	Amanda
Christina Carrafiell	...	Laura
Oliver Parsons	...	Arthur
Luke Bryant	...	David
Fidelis Morgan	...	Matron
Damien Thomas	...	Doctor
Nathalie Richard	...	Madame
Huggy Leaver	...	Delivery Man 1
Charles Cork	...	Delivery Man 2
Sylvie Macdonald	...	Bumper Crop Girl
Keira Knightley	...	Ruth
David Sterne	...	Keffers
Andrea Riseborough	...	Chrissie
Domhnall Gleeson	...	Rodney
Kate Sissons	...	Sitcom Girl
Amy Lennox	...	Sitcom Girl
Anna Maria Everett	...	Waitress
John Gillespie	...	Male Office Worker
Rachel Boss	...	Female Office Worker
Lydia Wilson	...	Hannah
Monica Dolan	...	Nurse
Chidi Chickwe	...	George
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harvey Allpress	...	(uncredited)
George Formby	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Romanek

Writing credits
Kazuo Ishiguro		(novel)
Alex Garland		(screenplay)

Produced by
Alex Garland	....	executive producer
Richard Hewitt	....	co-producer
Kazuo Ishiguro	....	executive producer
Andrew Macdonald	....	producer
Allon Reich	....	producer
Tessa Ross	....	executive producer
Joanne Smith	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Rachel Portman

Cinematography by
Adam Kimmel

Film Editing by
Barney Pilling

Casting by
Kate Dowd

Production Design by
Mark Digby

Art Direction by
Paul Cripps
Denis Schnegg		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Michelle Day

Costume Design by
Rachael Fleming
Steven Noble

Makeup Department
Jessica Afshar-Shirazi	....	hair trainee
Jessica Afshar-Shirazi	....	makeup trainee
Jessica Alexander	....	make-up and hair trainee
Catherine Davies	....	hair stylist
Sian Grigg	....	chief hair designer
Sian Grigg	....	chief makeup designer
Sallie Jaye	....	makeup artist: Scotland
Waldo Mason	....	prosthetic designer
Belinda Parish	....	hair stylist (as Bindy Parrish)
Belinda Parish	....	makeup artist (as Bindy Parrish)
Alex Rouse	....	wigmaker
Tapio Salmi	....	hair stylist
Tapio Salmi	....	makeup artist

Production Management
John Crampton	....	unit manager
Donald Sabourin	....	production manager
Clare St. John	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lee Grumett	....	first assistant director
Carol-Anne Henderson	....	third assistant director: Scotland (as Carol Anne Genderson)
Carley Lane	....	third assistant director
Sarah MacFarlane	....	second assistant director: crowd
Jo Tew	....	second assistant director
Erin Lander	....	additional third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Matt Amos	....	painter
Viv Ball	....	painter
Bruce Barnes	....	site supervisor
Jon Bates	....	stand-by propman
Gillian Campbell	....	hod painter
Christopher Chandler	....	dressing props
Phil Claxton	....	painter
Nic Clayton	....	carpenter
Tim Cooke	....	carpenter
Joseph Craig	....	dressing props
Dan Crandon	....	construction manager
Steven Davies	....	stagehand (as Steve Davies)
Steve Deane	....	studio supervisor
Darren Flindall	....	construction rigger
Ronald Fowler	....	plasterer (as Ron Fowler)
Dean Hawley	....	painter
Jason Htay	....	carpenter
Ben Johnson	....	stand-by propman
Alex MacDonald	....	painter
Charlie Malik	....	prop storeman
Dan Marsden	....	carpenter
Richard Mason	....	carpenter
Zane McGill	....	carpenter
Brian Montgomery	....	carpenter
Garry Moore	....	stand-by carpenter
Adrian Platt	....	dressing props
Tim Powis	....	assistant construction manager
Ken Rai-Green	....	carpenter
Jody Raynes	....	painter
Paul Rigby	....	stagehand
Mike Short	....	carpenter
Nick Thomas	....	property master
Mark Wallis	....	carpenter
Paul 'Welcie' Wellstead	....	construction rigger (as Paul Wellstead)
Joe Wilmott	....	carpenter (as Joe Wilmot)
Lee Wiseman	....	dressing props
Nick Wood	....	painter
Cara Brower	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Charlie Cobb	....	fine artist (uncredited)
Anita Dhillon	....	graphic designer (uncredited)
Katrina Dunn	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Arwel Evans	....	stand-by art director (uncredited)
Nadine Herrmann	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Robert Judd	....	dressing props (uncredited)
Loretta Lipworth	....	art department runner (uncredited)
Kathryn Pyle	....	production buyer (uncredited)
Andrew Tapper	....	graphic designer (uncredited)
Luke Whitelock	....	draftsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Hugo Adams	....	foley editor
Niv Adiri	....	sound effects editor
Mark Appleby	....	adr mixer
Luke Brown	....	assistant foley mixer
Jodie Campbell	....	sound assistant
Ed Colyer	....	foley mixer (as Edward Coluer)
James Corless	....	sound mix technician
Tom Deane	....	adr mixer
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer
Gillian Dodders	....	supervising dialogue editor
Mike Dowson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Danny Freemantle	....	assistant sound editor
Glenn Freemantle	....	sound designer
Glenn Freemantle	....	supervising sound editor
Glen Gathard	....	assistant foley mixer
Jim Greenhorn	....	production sound mixer
Andrea King	....	foley artist
Travis MacKay	....	adr mixer
Emilie O'Connor	....	assistant dialogue editor
Richard Pryke	....	sound re-recording mixer
Adam Scrivener	....	sound mix technician
Jack Stew	....	foley artist
Ian Tapp	....	dialogue premix
Tristan Tarrant	....	boom operator
Sandy Buchanan	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Nick Foley	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Jan Petrov	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Tom Ryan	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)
Philip Young	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Sam Conway	....	special effects supervisor
Chris Giles	....	special effects technician
Tez Palmer	....	special effects technician (as Terry Palmer)
Mark White	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Nemanja Antanaskovic	....	3d artist: Baseblack
Adrian Banton	....	compositing lead: Baseblack
Klaudija Cermak	....	compositor: Baseblack
Stephen Elson	....	visual effects executive producer: Baseblack
Adam Glasman	....	DI colourist
Neil Harrison	....	digital intermediate systems administrator
Dan Helme	....	data wrangler: Ascent 142 Features
Timothy P. Jones	....	digital film bureau: Ascent 142 Features
Stephanie C. Kelly	....	compositor: Baseblack (as Stephanie Kelly)
Robbie Lee	....	visual effects editor: Baseblack
Paul Nendick	....	head of technology: Baseblack
John Palmer	....	digital film bureau manager: Ascent 142 Features
Kate Phillips	....	visual effects producer: Baseblack
Gordon Pratt	....	digital film bureau: Ascent 142 Features
Matthew Twyford	....	visual effects supervisor: Baseblack
Pragti Wadhwa	....	compositor: Baseblack
Mark Webb	....	visual effects coordinator: Baseblack
Fiorenza Bagnariol	....	digital film bureau (uncredited)
Stuart Bullen	....	compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Nrinder Dhudwar	....	stunt player
Frank Henson	....	stunt coordinator
Dave Holland	....	stunt player (as David Holland)
Paul Kennington	....	stunt player
Jo McLaren	....	stunt player
Helen Steinway Bailey	....	stunt player
Claire Lawrence	....	driving double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Arthur	....	gaffer: Scotland (as Steve Arthurs)
Alex Bailey	....	still photographer
Guy Bennett	....	trainee grip
Alfie Biddle	....	clapper loader
Reg Boddy	....	rigging electrician
Ashley Bond	....	focus puller
Tommy Carlin	....	rigging electrician
John Clarke	....	additional electrician
John Colley	....	gaffer
Vernon Connolly	....	additional electrician
Luke Coulter	....	clapper loader: Scotland
Barny Crocker	....	loader: "b" camera
Gary Donague	....	rigging electrician (as Gary Donaghue)
Avelino Fernandez	....	electrician
Stephen Finberg	....	additional electrician
Dan Garlick	....	grip: "b" camera
Robert Gavigan	....	rigging electrician
Stuart Godfrey	....	grip
Dave Grey	....	stand-by rigger (as David Grey)
Pat Hagerty	....	rigger (as Pat Hagarty)
Matthew Hall	....	practical electrician
Alex Howe	....	focus puller: "b" camera
Iain Johnstone	....	grip: Scotland
Benjamin Kerr	....	additional electrician
Frank King	....	rigger
Vince Madden	....	rigging electrician (as Vinny Madden)
Vince Madden	....	rigging gaffer
Ginger McCarthy	....	supervising rigger (as Steve 'Ginger' McCarthy)
Michael McDermott	....	rigger
Joe McGee	....	practical electrician
Pat Miller	....	rigger (as Patrick Miller)
Paul Molloy	....	additional electrician
Julian Morson	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Julian Morson	....	steadicam operator
Onkar Narang	....	additional electrician
Mark Packman	....	additional electrician
Mike Parsons	....	electrician
John Paxton	....	video assist operator
Mark Richards	....	rigger
John Saunders	....	additional electrician
Christopher Schneider	....	camera intern
Richard B. Shean	....	video and computer playback operator
Chris Tann	....	electrician
Dave Thom	....	electrician: Scotland (as David Thom)
Steve Walsh	....	electrician
Danny Webster	....	rigger
Steven Young	....	additional electrician
Sashi Kissoon	....	camera trainee (uncredited)
Danny McGee	....	practical electrician (uncredited)
Marc Woodcock	....	lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Abigail Barbier	....	adr voice casting
Louis Elman	....	adr voice casting
Bernadette Gepheart	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Clementine Charity	....	costume assistant: Scotland (as Clemantine Charity)
Charlotte Child	....	costume supervisor
Isla Wickham	....	wardrobe assistant
Anne T. Delaney	....	costume assistant: dailies (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mark Bankhead	....	additional digital intermediate engineer
Mark Dear	....	additional digital intermediate engineer
Marie Fernandes	....	digital intermediate producer
Alec Gibson	....	color timer
Emanuele Giraldo	....	first assistant editor
Adam Glasman	....	digital colorist
Emily Greenwood	....	digital on-line editor
Steve Harrow	....	post-production consultant: Steeple Post Production Services
Patrick Malone	....	digital intermediate head of department
Hanh Nguyen	....	editor trainee
Darren Rae	....	colorist: dailies
Aurora Shannon	....	digital intermediate assistant
Laurent Treherne	....	digital intermediate technical supervisor

Music Department
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Chris Cozens	....	auricle control systems
Helen Crayford	....	musician: piano
Marcia Crayford	....	musician: violin solos
Chris Dibble	....	music recording engineer
George Drakoulias	....	music supervisor
George Hamer	....	orchestra contractor
Yann McCullough	....	music editor
Jeremy Murphy	....	assistant music recording engineer
Rachel Portman	....	orchestrator
Randall Poster	....	music supervisor
Colin Rae	....	music preparation
David Snell	....	conductor
Jehan Stefan	....	assistant to orchestrator
Jehan Stefan	....	music librarian
Paul Watkins	....	musician: cello solos
Hugh Webb	....	musician: harp
Karen Westropp	....	production assistant: Rachel Portman
Youki Yamamoto	....	music associate
Marcia Crayford	....	orchestra leader (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Mick Boddy	....	driver: minibus
Paul Brosman	....	driver: facilities
Simon Burgess	....	driver: facilities
Fergus Cotter	....	unit driver
Tim Harrison	....	driver: facilities
Darren Helman	....	driver
Jeff Hudson	....	unit driver (as Jeff 'Jefferzz' Hudson)
Marc Mills	....	driver: minibus, Scotland
Pete Newman	....	driver: minibus (as Peter Newman)
Graham Poppleton	....	unit driver
Barry Quibell	....	driver: camera truck, Scotland
Lea Robinson	....	unit driver
Dan Smith	....	driver: facilities
Marcus Ward	....	unit driver
Gary Weekes	....	vehicle coordinator
Barrie Williams	....	transportation captain (as Barrie 'Bazza' Williams)
Dave Williams	....	facilities driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Steve 'Barney' Barnett	....	catering manager
Linda Bowen	....	assistant accountant: post production
Stuart Cadenhead	....	floor runner: Scotland
Fiona Carruthers	....	accommodation coordinator
Juliette Caton	....	acting and voice coach: children
Annie Clapton	....	production trainee
Sarah Clark	....	unit publicist
Leah Clarke	....	assistant to producers
Jonah Coombes	....	supervising location manager
Eleri Coulten	....	location assistant
David Coupland	....	production runner
Michael Davis	....	dailies assistant (as Mike Davies)
Ryan Delaney	....	runner: DNA Films
Diana Dill	....	script supervisor
Michael Dovey	....	travel agent: ET Travel
Ellie Downham	....	guild trainee/cashier
Lloret Dunn	....	location manager: Scotland
Jake Edmonds	....	health & safety advisor
Tom Forbes	....	assistant: Mark Romanek
Mark Gillespie	....	runner: rushes
Linda Gregory	....	production accountant
Paul Grindey	....	head of business affairs: Film4
Tarn Harper	....	accountant: post production
Jo Harrop	....	accommodation coordinator
Stuart Hendry	....	assistant stills photographer
Charles Howes	....	head tutor
Adam Hutchins	....	stand-in
Amy Irvine	....	stand in: Keira Knightley
Carlton Jarvis	....	medical advisor
Tracey Josephs	....	head of production: Film4
Sue Lacy	....	stand-in
Claire Lawrence	....	stand-in (as Claire Lawrence-Burgoyne)
Sarah Lawrence	....	additional runner
Helene Lenszner	....	location scout (as Helene Lenszer)
Carl Lewin	....	catering assistant (as Karl Lewin)
Jules MacIver	....	unit nurse: Scotland (as Jules McIver)
Layla Mall	....	production coordinator
Lottie Mason	....	location trainee
Joy Maxwell Davis	....	unit nurse (as Joy Maxwell-Davis)
Karen McConnell	....	assistant location manager: Scotland
Clive Noakes	....	laboratory contact
Robert Norris	....	legal services: Reed Smith, Film4
Christian Otty	....	floor runner: Scotland
Andy Parry	....	safety advisor
Alex Paterakis	....	stand-in
Heather Pearse	....	stand-in
Kate Penlington	....	clearance coordinator
Tanya Phegan	....	development executive: DNA Films
Neil Pierson	....	second assistant accountant (as Neil Pearson)
Kevin Pipkin	....	location runner
Martin Poultney	....	digital intermediate sales: Ascent 142 Features
Emma Reid	....	location assistant: Isle of Man
Claire Robertson	....	location accountant
Délia Rémy	....	stand-in (as Delia Remy)
Graham Samels	....	catering assistant
Neil Samels	....	chef
Asha Sharma	....	location scout
Jack Steed	....	stand-in
Vaughn Stein	....	floor runner
Yanel Tallada	....	stand-in
Amie Tridgell	....	assistant location manager
Lizanne Tulip	....	stand-in: Sally Hawkins
Josh Yudkin	....	location manager
Charlie Coombes	....	runner (uncredited)
Maureen Duffy	....	completion guarantor (uncredited)
Dan Maslen	....	visual consultant (uncredited)
Monty Till	....	floor runner: dailies (uncredited)
Eva Yates	....	assistant: Tessa Ross (uncredited)

Production Companies

• DNA Films (presents)
• Film4 (presents)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2010) (worldwide) (all media)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (through Warner Bros.)
• 20th Century Fox (2011) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2010) (Canada) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2011) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox C.I.S. (2010) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (through)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2011) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Baseblack

Other Companies

• A & R Location Services  location security (as A&R Locatiob Services)
• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance services (as AON/Albert G. Ruben)
• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting equipment
• ARRI Media  camera equipment provided by
• Access Bookings  accommodation
• Angel Recording Studios  music recorded and mixed at
• Angels the Costumiers  costumes supplied by
• Ascent 142 Features  digital intermediate
• Ascent Media 142  editing equipment
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies (as Audiolink)
• Bickers Action Vehicles  action vehicles
• Bon Appetit Catering  catering (as Bon Appetit)
• Casting Call  background artists
• Casting Collective  extras casting
• Compuhire  24 frame playback
• ET Travel  travel arrangements
• Eastwood (Sound and Vision)  additional ProTools systems supplied by
• Farrow Design  title design (as Farrow)
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Intelligent Media  international monitoring agency
• Kodak  motion picture film supplier
• London Independent Players  orchestra (uncredited)
• Media Coaches  minibuses
• National Trust, Ham House and Gardens, London, The  the producers wish to thank
• On Set Facilities  location facilities (as On-Set Facilities)
• Pepper Sound  ADR recording facility
• Pinewood Studios  sound re-recording facility
• Professional Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• Reed Smith  legal services: Film4
• Reel Vehicles  picture vehicles
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Shepperton Studios  foley recording facility
• Sound 24  post-production sound
• Special Treats  electronic press kit
• Steeple Post Production Services  post-production consultancy
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack
• West 7 Post Production  additional editing equipment
• Wiggin  legal services
• Wildfire Studios  adr recording facility

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality and nudity

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45798) | Malaysia:18 | Germany:12 | Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Singapore:M18 | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | New Zealand:M | Japan:G | Chile:TE (Some Cinemas) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | South Korea:15 | Sweden:11 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | Chile:14

Filming Locations:

Andrew Melville Hall, University of St Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, UK

Company:

DNA Films

Trivia:

Mark Romanek was glad to get the opportunity to direct this film: "From the moment I finished the novel, it became my dream to film it. Kazuo Ishiguro's conception is so daring, so eerie and beautiful."

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In an establishing shot of Miss Emily's house in 1994, a blue Citroen Saxo is parked outside the house. They were first sold in England in 1996.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Title Card:The breakthrough in medical science came in 1952. Doctors could now cure the previously incurable. By 1967, life expectancy passed 100 years.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #1.3" (2011)

Soundtrack:

GOING TO WORK

Excellent cinematic adaptation

I just recently finished reading Never Let Me Go. I have very rarely been so intrigued by the subject matter of a book and at the same time so bored by its style. Never Let Me Go, the book, was deadly dull. Still, I was so intrigued, as I say, by the plight of these characters, that I was compelled to see how the book translated to the big screen. You might say I felt this novel and original storyline deserved a second chance.

All in all, I give the movie adaptation a thumbs up, with one big caveat: I think those who did not read the book first would be left scratching their heads. While the book was slow and plodding (and devoted MUCH too much detail to certain occurrences in the storyline), nevertheless it offered the opportunity for reflection on the subtleties of what was taking place. Given the pacing of a typical movie, if you blink, you might miss something momentous and I think that was the case with this movie, so it certainly helped to have read the book prior to seeing the film. The screenwriters did an excellent job of condensing the book, and I felt, after having read it, that condensing was precisely what this otherwise compelling and poignant story required.

Never Let Me Go was a lyrical and visually beautiful production. The accompanying musical score was appropriate to a sad and heartbreaking story. The acting was terrific - especially by Cary Mulligan whose sad eyes reveal the melancholy of her character, and Keira Knightly, especially in the hospital scene where she portrays a nearly depleted "donor." I didn't care much for the male lead, but his one outbreak of emotion upon having his hopes of a "deferral" dashed was very significant. And the character of Miss Lucy comes across as more sympathetic in the movie than in the book.

My criterion for a good movie is this: If it stays with me once I hit the sidewalk in front of the theater, rather than evaporating like smoke, well, that's a good movie. Never Let Me Go has stayed with me. The ending left me with a feeling that although these fictionalized characters were little more than lab rats, we all, in a sense, share a similar fate. Life is short, loss hurts, live and love while you can.

It rarely happens that I enjoy a movie adaptation more than the book on which it was based, but I would have to say that was the case here. Bravo.