"The Giver" was Pretty Dang Good

   "The Giver", an adaptation of the award winning book by the same title, is an interesting film. The story is simple yet extremely complex and intense all at the same time. It's about a Utopian society that has no recollection of fear, pain, suffering; the basic emotional aspects that define humanity. Everyone and everything has its purpose. It's a very 'robotic' society. Children are assigned families, given bikes at a young age (the main mode of transportation in the community), and when they are of age they are assigned a function that they will endure for the rest of their lives. Unlike the chaotic world we all live in, this community is peaceful, yet bland. The story focuses on the function assignment given to the protagonist of the film Jonas (Brenton Thwaites). When his friends are given 'normal' lifelong assignments, Jonas is chosen to be a Receiver of Memory, a position given only to a select few. Within a society that focuses on living without pain and suffering, the memory of the world's past is important enough to keep, therefore they are only given to one person, the Giver. It's through the Giver that Jonas receives the memories of the past and is confronted with a sense of morality as to what he should do with this new information. It's a simple concept with intense ramifications.

   The film does a decent job in keeping in line with the book. Fans of the book won't be disappointed with this adaptation. There are two areas where this film really shines: the casting and the cinematography. As a fan of the book, like most readers, I had a concept of what the characters looked like, at least in my mind. I always pictured the Giver as an extremely old man, kind of like Richard Harris' Dumbledore from the first two Harry Potter films. However Jeff Bridges, though old but not as old as Harris, was absolutely wonderful. He has a gravitas, almost an old school swagger to his approach to acting. It's really captivating and awesome to see. You can tell he takes his characters seriously and always brings something new to the screen. His version of the Giver was mysterious, funny, and intense, just as the character is felt in the book. Meryl Streep, as most everyone knows, can't seem to do any wrong when she's in front of a camera. Playing the Chief Elder, Streep brings a level of authenticity to the role. Brenton Thwaites, along with the additional young cast, show there's definitely promising careers ahead of them. The role of Jonas is a pivotal one to this story and Thwaites does a great job.
 
   The cinematography of the film does an exceptional job at capturing the look and feel of the story. Most of the film is in black and white. The book is depicted this way as well. When color is introduced into the book, it's an intense revelation for Jonas. Being able to see this revelation on screen, Jonas isn't the only one to experience this. As an audience, the film does a great job at sucking you into the bland world of the society and it's very easy to buy into it. When color is introduced it's as revelatory to you as it is for Jonas. Kudos to the filmmakers for creating a film that is quite easy to connect with. Ironically that's one of the major themes of the story, the importance of emotion, its connections and its effects on us as humans.

   All in all the movie was great. If you're a fan of the book, you won't be disappointed. If you've never read the book, you'll still like the movie. It's enough of an escape to allow you to connect with the characters and the story, as well as being able to connect with the central themes. That's when a film can be an immersive experience, rather than a commercial experience. If you have yet to see the film, don't miss your opportunity.