The Giver

[author_by_night]

A somewhat brief review. Cut mostly for teh spoilerz.


I read The Giver many many years ago, and it was one of those books I had trouble really understanding at the time, but as time moved on and I harkened back to it, I understood and appreciated it more. I certainly never forgot it.

The movie adaptation has a lot of strengths, but it's not bold enough. First, we get a love story, because God forbid a YA action movie not have one. Here's the thing - why is the fact that Fiona and Jonas must part sadder if they were in love? From what I can remember, she was a kind girl who was going to have to kill people and not even know what she was doing. That's poignant enough. (Also, they were elderly, not babies.)  I DID understand why they aged the characters - Jonas in the novel is  twelve, but sixteen here, and I think it's because it might be harrowing for an audience to physically see a kid witness the things he does. That, and child labor laws.



My other issue with it was the ending. The ending of novel has Jonas and Gabriel head towards a place with music; we never actually see what it is. We don't know if Jonas and Gabriel have reached safety, or if they've in fact died. Meanwhile, Jonas's community - his friends, his parents, his little sister - are left in complete oblivion. The movie has a happier ending. Jonas and Gabriel reach a home, and by breaking out, Jonas has given his Community the ability to See and Feel.

Is it a happier ending? Yes, but that's not necessarily a good thing. I actually find it somewhat ironic that in a movie about people being afraid of emotions to the point at which they're locked in a dystopian society, we still can't have emotions people might not be able to deal with, ask questions that aren't so simple. It does a huge disservice to the original source material.

On the bright side, I think I'm going to finally read the other books, which take place in the same universe.

Comments

[sherrilina.livejournal.com]

Actually at the endend of the book the Community receives all of the memories Jonas had after he crosses the boundaryboundary--the Giver stayed behind so he could help them deal with the pain, etc. So that aspect of the movie was the same, we just got to see it happening unlike the book. And while the end was ambiguous as to Jonah's survival, he did in fact survive (he is referred to in the subsequent books, first obliquely, then more outright. And same with Gabe). So that didn't bother me so much either, even though the way it was much better done in the book.

But ugh, what a disappointing film. I mean I expected it to suck, but then the first 20 min or so (or up to the beginnjng of his training) were SO GOOD and near perfect, I began to think it would be all good. But yeah, the shoe-horned romance and the heavy-handed cheesy writing were so bad and cringeworthy, and it really missed some key points (like why they were killing babies, or what the pills were about, etc).

I too was OK with the aging up though, because frankly having kids begin careers at age 12 never really made much sense.

[rhoda-rants.livejournal.com]

I didn't have high hopes for this one. The trailer alone made me apprehensive to the point of not being interested in seeing it before the DVD. I'm sorry to hear they plopped in a romance; I read an interview with Jeff Bridges where he said they'd talked to Lois Lowry about the film, and that was one thing she was adamant that they not do. The interview made it sound like they'd abided by her wishes. :(

Important question: Is it in black and white? I can't figure this out, and it's driving me bonkers, because that was kind of a huge plot point in the book.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Well, it's more pre-romance, to be fair - Fiona and Jonas don't run away together, but there's definitely romance between them.

It's black and white until Jonas sees color, and even then, when it isn't his POV it goes back to black and white. That I actually thought they did well, though some fans disagreed.

[rhoda-rants.livejournal.com]

OK, that doesn't sound too bad. The trailers are misleading on that front, which is a shame, because I think a lot of book fans got turned off because of it. (The color thing, I mean.)

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

We had to read The Giver in 6th grade and the whole thing flew right over my head. A story about caring about other people and society? I was 12, there WERE no other people, no society, JUST ME!

But, for some reason, I felt compelled to pick it up again a few years ago, and I loved it. (a guy in Chik-Fil-A actually walked up to me to say how much he loved the book, which impressed me and made me want to keep reading).

But, yeah, sounds like they took a powerful book with lots of beautiful imagery and...well remade Pleasantville? Whoops :(

I do want to read the rest of the series though. They are all just sitting on the shelves at work...some day!

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Gathering Blue was my favorite of the series. I'll be interested to know what you think after you've read them.

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

I have read the book once a few years ago but may to have to read it again now that the movie is out.

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

I remember reading The Giver back in junior high, so I may have to read it again soon.