Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • August 27, 2014 ‘The Giver’ features society without memory and color by Dennis Seuling “The Giver” is based on the young-adult novel by Lois Lowry. Though it predated “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent,” young-adult novels that depict a dystopian world, it follows those works to the big screen. Actor Jeff Bridges optioned “The Giver” shortly after its 1993 publi- cation, but filming stalled, primarily due to lack of funding. It was the success and popularity of movies based on those later novels that got the project back on track. Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) and his best friends, Fiona (Odeya Rush) and Asher (Cameron Monaghan), are about to “advance” from childhood. In an elaborate ceremony, the society’s Chief Elder (Meryl Streep) tells each gradu- ate what his or her role in society will be: child nurturer, drone pilot, birth mother, etc. Jonas is unique. He is des- ignated Receiver of Memories, which means he will be given the gift of memory and serve as a sort of walking, breathing Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, and National Archives all rolled into one. He will become the human repository of history and all things past. All this will be transmitted to him by the current resident Keeper of Memory (Jeff Bridges), also known as The Giver. Jonas is an apt pupil, but the more he sees in his one- on-one sessions with The Giver, the more he recognizes the restrictions of the current society. Memory, ambition, personal drive, and even sexual desire have been erased by the Elder Council to create a homogeneous, grimly bland world. Residents are kept in check by a required daily dose The title character (Jeff Bridges) imparts memory to protégé Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) in ‘The Giver.’ of “medication.” “The Giver” goes beneath the surface tale to underscore important themes including blind acceptance of confor- mity, predetermination, autocratic rule, and obedience. Jonas’ growing dissatisfaction threatens to upset the society’s equilibrium, and the Elders recognize he is a threat to the way of life they have planned. This is the film’s primary conflict. Will one defenseless boy be able to buck a totalitarian world in which it seems he will have few allies? The movie works as science fiction with ideas predomi- nating, and as an allegory. Director Phillip Noyce manages to blend the two nicely without becoming preachy. Bridges infuses The Giver with torment and sadness since he is the only one who sees what the society is missing and how much better it could be. This is his personal hell: knowing and being unable to effect change. Streep has a pretty large role as the Chief Elder. With long straight hair and an unsmiling countenance, she is not a cliché villainess. Her Chief Elder has interesting facets that make the character rich and complex. Thwaites is a good looking fellow. His Jonas is an aver- age guy who is elevated to an incredibly important role. With this role come questioning and a sense of morality, dangerous qualities that put him and his friends in peril. There are effective supporting performances by Katie Holmes as Jonas’ mother and Chief of Security, who constantly reminds him of “precision of language,” and Alexander Skarsgard as his father, a genial Nurturer who performs horrible deeds for the society without a trace of guilt or remorse. The overall look of “The Giver” dominates the perfor- mances. Color is used dramatically by director Noyce and cinematographer Ross Emery. When depicting a world in which emotion has been banned, everything is black and white. As Jonas begins to discover the past, de-saturated hues highlight the images. When viewers see the memories through Jonas’ eyes, the colors are bright and vibrant. Not since “Pleasantville” have color and the lack of it been this significant in a movie. Rated PG-13, “The Giver” is a thoughtful science fiction film that succeeds less from special effects and technologi- cal gimmickry than from its exploration of ideas. Rather than yet another story about a world after calamity, “The Giver” features a protagonist who is more at home learning from a teacher than battling aliens. Cook Up Some Business! Advertise your restaurant in The Villadom TIMES. You’ll reach over 47,000 households. 201-652-0744 www.villadom.com