“The Giver“; a book that has had its readers enthralled from the beginning is now a movie for fans to see.  Is this Utopian society worth seeing on the big screen?

“The Giver,” written by Lois Lowery, is the breathtaking story of Jonas, a  boy in a world that is all about being the same. The book itself is wonderfully crafted, well thought out, and an original story that creates a world that any reader would give their undivided attention. The story of Jonas and those around him is most definitely worth reading.

The movie that shares the same name as the award winning novel is directed by Phillip Noyce; the movie itself doesn’t quite capture the essence of what Lois Lowery wrote. Although the movie was decent, showing glimpses of how the society was originally written, it did not reach the depth that can be found in the novel. With that depth missing the movie missed the mark on reaching its viewer’s hearts. It didn’t quite hit home due to holding the gravity/realization that the entire story is based on a society that is all exactly the same.

Noyce did show glimpses of how this would emotionally affect each character but only to a shallow depth, leaving the viewers in confusion about what exactly was going on. The movie requires the viewer to have prior knowledge of the book or else they are left asking themselves “what just happened?”

Overall, it was a film that was lacking a deeper meaning and the life that the novel gave. In my opinion, the movie is not something to add to you’re must see list, though the novel is much advised.