NEVER LET ME GO (film review by Evelyn C Leeper)
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Philip De Parto
May 8, 2026, 10:49:16 AMMay 8
to SFABC (nj) Movie Group
The following review is reprinted with permission from:
THE MT VOID
05/08/26 -- Vol. 44, No. 45, Whole Number 2431
05/08/26 -- Vol. 44, No. 45, Whole Number 2431
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NEVER LET ME GO (film review by Evelyn C Leeper)
NEVER LET ME GO starts with a school of
children singing:
"When we are scattered afar and asunder,
Parted are those who are singing today.
When we look back and forgetfully wonder
What we were like in our learning and play"
This turns out to be more meaningful than it might first appear.
The story of the film starts in 1978, and the explanation of this
alternate world (given in text at the beginning of the film) is
that some (unspecified) breakthrough came in 1952, and pretty soon
life expectancy was over a hundred. (And that turns out to be not
quite true.)
At first it seems to take place in someplace like what we think of
as a typical English boarding school. Then it seems like it might
be an orphanage. Of course, it turns out to be neither. And the
language is odd; they talk about carers and donors and guardians
rather than teachers or headmistresses.
The idea of an orphanage is reinforced by the "sale" in which the
children can buy things with tokens they have earned. And they are
excited by these things, although it is clear to the viewer that
what is being brought is trash: broken dolls, loose buttons, old
clothes, ...
A quarter of the way through the film, a new "guardian" tells the
children (and the viewer) what is really going on.
What isn't entirely believable is how accepting of their place in
the world the children (and the adults they become) are. The only
thing that seems to have ever worked to keep "oppressed" people or
"lower-class people" satisfied with their place is religion and
convincing them that God (or the gods) has ordained this. But we
don't see anything like that here.
Released theatrically 15 October 2010.
Film Credits:
<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334260/reference>
What others are saying:
<https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/never_let_me_go_2010>
children singing:
"When we are scattered afar and asunder,
Parted are those who are singing today.
When we look back and forgetfully wonder
What we were like in our learning and play"
This turns out to be more meaningful than it might first appear.
The story of the film starts in 1978, and the explanation of this
alternate world (given in text at the beginning of the film) is
that some (unspecified) breakthrough came in 1952, and pretty soon
life expectancy was over a hundred. (And that turns out to be not
quite true.)
At first it seems to take place in someplace like what we think of
as a typical English boarding school. Then it seems like it might
be an orphanage. Of course, it turns out to be neither. And the
language is odd; they talk about carers and donors and guardians
rather than teachers or headmistresses.
The idea of an orphanage is reinforced by the "sale" in which the
children can buy things with tokens they have earned. And they are
excited by these things, although it is clear to the viewer that
what is being brought is trash: broken dolls, loose buttons, old
clothes, ...
A quarter of the way through the film, a new "guardian" tells the
children (and the viewer) what is really going on.
What isn't entirely believable is how accepting of their place in
the world the children (and the adults they become) are. The only
thing that seems to have ever worked to keep "oppressed" people or
"lower-class people" satisfied with their place is religion and
convincing them that God (or the gods) has ordained this. But we
don't see anything like that here.
Released theatrically 15 October 2010.
Film Credits:
<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334260/reference>
What others are saying:
<https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/never_let_me_go_2010>
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