Plot Summary – Kathy, Tommy and Ruth are raised in an idyllic environment at Hailsham, a boarding school. Even as they deal with pangs of love, a teacher lets it slip that their fate has already been written.

★★★★½ 

Watched 20 Feb, 2021

I watched this film because a friend suggested it and I really liked it. There are so many interesting elements of this film and I love how intricately they are all woven together. The story is so unique and the concept was so refreshing. Sci-fi romances are so rare and this pulls that genre off perfectly. Romanek helms this film in a brilliant way by pacing the story and character beats perfectly. Carey Mulligan gives an amazing performance as Kathy and Andrew Garfield is phenomenal as ever. To think he did this and The Social Network, in the same year is mind-blowing cause the range required for the two roles are so wide and he manages to pull-off both with incredible depth. The score and soundtrack are so engrossing and capture you in this beautiful world. The worldbuilding is so strong and you never feel out of place as the film slowly explains its premise to you. The exposition never feels like you’re being lectured and everything is so organic. My only issues with the film are the writing which comes off as flat at times and the cinematography. This film could have been so visually interesting with its themes but instead, cinematographer Andy Kimmel, uses boring camera angles and a dull blue filter to make it look like every other run-of-the-mill scifi film when this has so much heart. The ending of the film is absolutely devastating and the way it builds to the end is so strong. Somehow you can predict the ending but you’re still not prepared for the emotional weight of what happens and that’s where this film elevates from good to great. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a good watch that’s under 2 hrs.