How would it be living in a world without colors? Where everything was black and white? A world full of rules where everything is automated and where emotions do not exist? Certainly would not be strange to those born into it, but it is undoubtedly frustrating for some who once lived and know that the real world is much more than what a whole community is obliged to accept. Happy, always welcoming the rules because that is the only reality and they have always known.

The Giver is a science-fiction film based on the novel by Lois Lowry, with the same name. In an imaginary future world, humanity decides to create a world in Black and White, where all citizens are named "The Community". A world without color and any emotions, no feelings or different races. Consequently there is no disagreement, dispute, sadness and all work for the good of the community. What they don't know is that all their past memories have been erased from their minds making their living a complete farce. Each community member is responsible for a specific function as soon as it become and adult. Jonas a young, brave and very astute is chosen to be the new Receiver of Memories of the Community, not an easy task, since the role of the Receiver is to keep all the bad memories of the past, of each member of the community. All these memories will be pass to him through The Giver, that over some time will train him for the demanding mission. Jonas quickly turns out to discover that something is very wrong and that all the false illusion generates oppression in society.

Basically, this story carries with it a strong message about the reality of the world. We are all equal, we are human beings, and yet still continue to be wars and major injustices around the world. Pain, suffering, sadness are things that no one should experience. But there are also not so good things that also make human beings stronger. It would be ideal if the world were all colorful, everyone could have the same equality and freedom to do whatever they wanted, but at the same time it would also not be a farce too? So here we have the two sides of the coin. On one hand, the world in Black and White is more peaceful and even without color, can be joyful, but on the other hand everyone has the right not to live a lie.

The use of colors is very interesting. At the beginning of the film we see everything in Black and White just like the whole community, but as the main character of the story realizes the reality in which he lives, and as he starts to see all the memories in color, as soon as everything starts to become more bright in his head (and also when friends and family suspect that something is wrong) the world begins to be lightened, gradually becoming less dark. Coming up to the truth, the colors start gradually emerge. The visual effects are also quite effective and the whole created world seems real.

Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep are fantastic as expected! Are two great lords of Hollywood that never disappoint whatever the role. The two manage to be convincing in their roles, but since Jeff Bridges has more screen time he has a much more striking and important role in history. The young actor Brenton Thwaites (I confess I had never heard of him before) could be solid in his performance and always kept a good chemistry with Jeff Bridges. The performances of Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgard are also quite effective, while maintaining a cold attitude.

Regarding the negative aspects, the film tension is increasing substantially since the beginning until the final act when it becomes emotionally a little less effective. While we know that the film may have a predictable ending, it does make us believe that maybe we can get a more glorious final moment. Instead the end is slightly poor taking in consideration the intensity and importance of the rest of the history. Also turns out to be somehow inconsistent regarding the emotions it whats to transmit. While sometimes becomes quite human and causes big emotions in us, others this aspect strangely fails.

The Giver turns out to be surprising given the poor reception that had the American box office. Perhaps the fact that this concept of story is kind of The Hunger Games or Divergent type (where there is always a young hero that saves everything and everyone) did not help. It as been too overused. But do not be put off by mistake. While is not a fantastic film, and has a few holes in the plot, is quite nice and is definitely a film that will entertain you from the very beginning.

I like this genre of film plus with Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep, I was expecting more. Bridges and Streep deliver top-shelf performances it's just there is not enough of them in the film.

There's a scene where Streep and Bridges get into the conversation of whether free will is worth the hurt and pain that comes with it. It's 10 minutes of acting every one should watch.

The problem is this scene comes near the end of the movie and it's not enough to offset the other 100 minutes of complete blandness. There isn't this sense of dread or tension in the movie at all. There really isn't any sense of drama or pace to the movie and what results is a movie that feels like a late night documentary.

I'm tempted to blame the young actors on drawing the audience in but that's completely fair. The film utilizes the voice of the main character - Jonas - as its narrator. While this is a quick way to give the film its voice, it also diffuses all the drama out of the film. We know that the narrator 'makes it out okay' since he's telling the story.

There are so many themes - free will, destiny, joy, war, hope, emotion vs. rationalism - that completely get overlooked because the narrator is trying to get us through the story instead of just inviting us into the story. As a result, there isn't any tension in the first act to make you care about any of the characters.

Although the cast is good (for the young actors), and excellent for Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep, this movie just has no scenario.

The no-emotion dystopia has been covered many times in the literature and movie industry but, here, the story is just too simplistic and gives no satisfaction at all. The subject had a lot more depth in 'A brave new world'. Heck, even Equilibrium had more content. I got through the 90 minutes of the movie and ended up with the sour feeling that the director skipped from the exposition to the conclusion without developing anything.

Really not worth the time.

What if suddenly the society chooses to remove the pain and with it the feelings that creates it? The giver, based on Lois Lowry‘s novel, answers this question showing us an advanced society who avoids feelings thanks to daily injections. Ruled by a council of elders, families are gathered thanks to a calculation of affinities and periodically, with meetings that celebrate age transition, to every component is given an assignment. During one of this meetings, young Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) finds out that he is chosen to be the keeper of the memories of the past. His task is important because together with emotions, humanity has decided to sacrifice its history and its wisdom. Jonas will be educate by an elder, called “the giver”, who will lead him to the discovery of feelings and free will.
We don’t know when the story tooks place, but we now that the society chose this way of living after a great pain. The monochromatism used by the society is a reminder of the standardization and suggests the absence of all the shades that makes life worth living and not a repetition of the same things every day.
Jonas is introduced like a special boy before the assignation of his task, in effect he poses a lot of questions and sees some of the colors that others don’t see. He will make a strong bond with his friend Fiona (Odeya Rush) and even more with the giver. The giver appears tired of carrying the burden of the memories of the world and drags with him the consequences of great failures. He represents the mistakes of the past that have been understood but no one has the strength to mend. For this reason he is in contrast with Jonas, who portrays hope.
Due to the lack of adventure scenes, the rithm of the narration is a little bit slow. The first half of the story in particular can lead a viewer without patience to give up the film. This is the great weakness of the the movie, that is saved only by the depth of the plot. Special effects are simple and the most suggestive is the transition from black and withe to colors.
Regarding the actors, there isn’t a performance that stands out from the others and this is a pity because some actors were the great: Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgard. Moreover I think Tailor Swift‘s cameo, because of his shortness, is only a smoke and mirror.
This educational novel includes very strong themes hidden in the plot that make the viewers reflect. For example, we find the negativity of a communist and of a totalitarian regime and the theme of the capital punishment at which many attend and few take the trouble to do something against. There is also the persecution of the outcast that is the first thing that brings society to the collapse. Moreover, seeing all the scenes that were chosen to characterize humanity for better or for worse leaves a sense of tenderness and the will of doing something in order that the future will not become corrupt. Surely this movie is not a masterpiece but it is, in my opinion, a light way to spend time and to reflect, above all for the younger to which the film is addressed.

I read the book in high school so I don’t recall much of it to compare here, but I remember liking it. Perhaps I’ll reread it, because I enjoyed this movie. The message was excellent and still relevant and we did we the effects of late stage capitalism.

Here are some random thoughts.

The message of how the past and emotions are needed to not repeat mistakes. Their Utopia would have worked if they didn’t try to remove emotion all together. Not only was this an impossible task as we saw it bleed through in the small things. Like Asher helping or the father trying with Gabe. And while I did not care for the romance in this movie their relationship felt weird, the touches and looks were there before she missed her injection. And the chef elder was definitely giving anger. Idk if they don’t take injections either but she was getting increasingly upset and even evil in how she wanted to deal with Jonas. The idea was flawed and possibly just a way to make citizen okay with killing each other because you’d have to do a lot of population trimming to get to their numbers and not over populate again.