← Back to results
The Giver
2014 97 min United States of America PG-13 12+
★5.9
Drama, Science Fiction
Director: Phillip Noyce
🎭 Based on
«The Giver»
byLois Lowry
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
In a seemingly perfect community, without war, pain, suffering, differences or choice, a young boy is chosen to learn from an elderly man about the true pain and pleasure of the "real" world.
Budget:
$25M
US Gross:
$45.09M
Worldwide:
$66.98M
Starring
Brenton Thwaites
Actor
Jeff Bridges
Actor
Meryl Streep
Actor
Awards
3 wins & 6 nominations total
Key opinion
The Giver is a polarizing adaptation that succeeds for some as a poignant, philosophical reflection on the necessity of human emotion, while others dismiss it as a shallow, cliché-ridden addition to the saturated young adult dystopian genre. While the visual contrast between monochromatic and vibrant scenes is widely praised, opinions are sharply divided regarding the film's pacing, depth, and the effectiveness of its simplified narrative.
| Cinematography | The use of visual shifts between black-and-white and color effectively illustrates the protagonist's emotional awakening and discovery of humanity. | |
| Acting | Veteran performers Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep provide gravity, though some viewers feel their potential was underutilized or the casting was mismatched. | |
| Theme | The narrative avoids the typical over-reliance on action-heavy spectacle, opting instead for a contemplative and philosophical exploration of memory and personal choice. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is criticized for being overly simplistic and predictable, failing to match the complexity of its literary source material or genre predecessors like Brave New World. | |
| Pacing | The slow, deliberate tempo creates a meditative experience for some, while others find the storytelling to be listless, rushed, or lacking in necessary momentum. |