The Giver (2014)

Rating: PG-13

Run-time/Word Count: 97 Minutes/Words

Review: What may seem to copy Recently-Popular- YA-Dystopian Lit-Based-Films is actually based on Lois Lowry’s book which preceeded Hunger Games or Divergent by twentyish years.  The casting is mostly well-done: Jeff Bridges is empathy-stirring as the exhausted Giver, Brenton Thwaites is innocent and passionate as Jonas, Katie Holmes is surprisingly believable as “stoic, creepy mom,” and Meryl Streep has weird bangs.

If you’ve read the book, don’t be deterred by the full-color movie trailer with high action shots: the film actually does follow it pretty closely.  With more heart than you’d expect, this book-based flick is worth seeing.