"The Giver" Give-Away WINNER and Movie Review

Before I announce the winner of our “The Giver Give-Away", I’m going to share my feelings about the movie.  Hang in there … enjoy the ride … and the winner will be revealed soon!

I am a fan of the 1993 book, The Giver by Lois Lowry, so my review of the movie may be a little bias.  To say I “LOVED” this book would not be accurate.  How can someone enthusiastically say they love a book as disturbing as The Giver?  You don’t walk away after reading it and say, “That was soooo amazing!  I loved it!!!”  Instead you walk away and think about what you just read for the next week … the next month … the next year.  That’s what makes me a fan.  Any author that can get their readers talking, pondering and feeling what they just experienced is brilliant.  This same sentiment goes with the movie.  I went to the movie with my family and after the final credits rolled, we found ourselves just sitting there, silently alone in the theater, letting everything we just witnessed sink in … and then the discussion started.  For this reason, I would recommend going to see it. 

The acting was amazing!  Jeff Bridges hit the mark perfectly.  You could see his passion in every scene he was in.  (After fighting to have the book brought to the theaters shortly after the book was published, Jeff Bridges gave it his all and won!)  However, in many ways, the actors took second place to The Giver's look.  The cinematography was beautiful.  When depicting a world where emotions were banned, everything appeared in black-and-white.  As Jonas began to discover the past, hues of color slowly began to appear.  When we saw the memories through Jonas' eyes, the colors were bright and strong.  The more Jonas knew and felt, the more the colors appeared.  This movie was a real treat for the eyes!

Like any book that comes to the theater, changes were made to make the story more cinematic.  However, I thought The Giver stayed very faithful to the original source.  The movie did receive a PG13 rating but I think that was most likely due to a specific scene that, if you read the book, you know the one I am referring to.  I remember reading that part in the novel and it was the changing point for me from “hmmm-this-is-interesting” to “this-is-wrong!”  Seeing this same scene play out visually was even more upsetting. There was no mystery about what was happening in the book but seeing it is different from imagining it.  On the plus side, any movie that makes us realize how valuable life is, scores points from me.

The Giver is one of the “Must See” movies of the year.  It’s a visual masterpiece and a great discuss-it-long-after drama.  Because it is so unique, not everyone will like it.  If you are looking for a fast action, over-the-top special effects flick … this isn’t the movie for you.  This movie is for the thinking person.  This movie is a great reminder of how blessed we are to be free to feel and to choose.  I strongly feel that in time, The Giver will end up being regarded as one of the best. 

And now on to what you are all here for … THE WINNER OF THE GIVE-AWAY!!!  And the winner is …JAMIE WAKEFIELD!  WHOOHOO!!!  (Contact me within 48 hours with your mailing information.  Can't wait for you to get your fun stuff!)