web counter
 

Keira Knightley's Shoulder Blades Should Be Registered as Lethal Weapons

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (28)

Keira_Knightley_atonement-thumb-300x290-14160.jpg

I want to like the trailer for Never Let Me Go, and undoubtedly — given the talent involved and the source material — I will like the movie. But, like the other movie based on a Kazuo Ishiguro novel, Remains of the Day, it’ll likely be a movie I’ll appreciate more than I will enjoy, and that’s usually the kind of Netflix disc that will sit next to the television for six months before it’s watched. But, man: I do love Carey Mulligan, and this is dramatic Keira Knightley, who can be very good if you can get past the shoulder blades in the love-making scenes (how she hasn’t inadvertently stabbed someone to death is a mystery) and the inverted noondays (just trying out Rusty’s new usage there. I like).

The movie comes from Mark Romanek, director of One Hour Photo, a good movie featuring a great performance from Robin Williams that most liked more than I did. And the book on which it is based was named one of the best 100 contemporary novels by Time. Plus, Andrew Garfield lets out one effectively miserable yawlp.

Check it out.









Each Time You Like, Share, Tweet or Stumble a Pajiba Post, An Angel Does the Paul Rudd Dance

← News: Crank Directors to Make Ghost Rider Sequel | News: Never Get Involved In A Land War In Asia | Killers Getting Chinese Release →









Comments

This book gave me the heebie-jeebies. Knightley's shoulder blades aren't likely to help matters.

Posted by: hindulovegod at June 16, 2010 9:37 AM

I read the novel for CBR II, and loved it. Definitely recommend it.

Posted by: Jen K. at June 16, 2010 9:41 AM

God, that looks tedious.

Pass.

Posted by: , at June 16, 2010 9:49 AM

This book pretty much thoroughly destroyed me -- but not until the end. I sort of read it at this cool distance, thinking it was okay; not as good as A Pale View of Hills or as unsettling as The Unconsoled, but good enough. And then the end comes along and I was sort of left shuddering for days. I guess what I'm saying is: Don't fuck up this movie, Keira Knightley.

Posted by: Mike B. at June 16, 2010 9:51 AM

Ooh, this is my current assignment for one of the many book clubs I'm in. But I'll have to scrub Ol' Shoulderblades out of my mind first.

(News flash: I HATE HER!!! I hate her chompy teeth and her wooden line delivery!! But I love Carey Mulligan, so I guess it's a wash. I might watch this.)

Posted by: Jelinas at June 16, 2010 9:52 AM

Goddamn... I just want to take her home and feed her something. And by that, I mean food you pervs.

Posted by: logar at June 16, 2010 10:29 AM

Man, I love Keira Knightley. But yeah she's too damn skinny.

I really want to see this. I'm willing to make that 30 minute drive to a theater that's showing it, as long as I can sneak into something happier/less tedious directly afterwards.

Posted by: kayla at June 16, 2010 10:36 AM

I read this book on a plane, and when I finished I was so distraught that the woman next to me asked if I was okay. It's that kind of book.

The movie's pretty perfectly cast, so I think even the Knightley haters might not be bothered by her. Her character is sort of unlikable in the first place. I'm REALLY excited to see what Carey Mulligan does with the role. This should be pretty good.

Posted by: heatseeker at June 16, 2010 10:41 AM

What the hell was that all about?
Are these kids bred to be spare body parts or something?

Posted by: BWeaves at June 16, 2010 10:42 AM

Mike B., The Unconsoled was so frustrating that it made me want to stab myself repeatedly with my laminated bookmark.

Posted by: sars at June 16, 2010 10:42 AM

Second all the comments about this book having an emotional effect. I was quite distressed reading it, especially toward the end. I suppose it was all so plausible and I didn't doubt for a second that there are people who would completely agree with this kind of system. The film better be just as distressing. If they turn it into a happy ending I will be angry.

Posted by: PaddyDog at June 16, 2010 10:56 AM

@ sars:

I can't disagree at all with the "frustrating" tag on The Unconsoled. My partner Zach and I had recently started dating when I read the book the first time, and I was afraid he was going to leave me because I kept putting the book down, bewildered, and saying, "This totally odd thing just happened in my book." And he would say, "Please don't tell me about it." And I would say, "Okay, but the thing is, he's giving a eulogy in his pajamas for a man he's never really met." Lather, rinse, repeat.

The Unconsoled remains on my list of "books to recommend" because I still think about it 10 years later. I always caveat it by saying, "I can't guarantee that you'll figure out what's going on -- and it may simply be that you're reading a fever dream that adheres too closely to dream-logic -- but it puzzled me for a long time, and I hope it puzzles you."

Posted by: Mike B. at June 16, 2010 11:04 AM

I haven't read this book, but just going from the synopsis, this sounds like
The Island, only in a different locale.

The Island was that crappy futuristic movie with Scarlett Johansson & Ewan McGregor, for those lucky to have not seen it.

Posted by: Brie at June 16, 2010 11:52 AM

OHMYGODICAN'TWAIT.

The book was basically perfect.

Posted by: lvsmithmarsh at June 16, 2010 1:08 PM

"I haven't read this book, but just going from the synopsis, this sounds like The Island, only in a different locale."

Great reasoning. You should make all your decisions with parameters like that.

Posted by: Mike B. at June 16, 2010 1:27 PM

Brie- give this book a chance. It's probably one of the better things I've read in the last five years.

I feel about this movie the exact way that I felt about Atonement. I loved both books so much that I know the movie can't live up to the book and am not sure if I want to chance ruining the book experience by seeing the movie. I still haven't watched Atonement.

Posted by: maceo at June 16, 2010 1:48 PM

maceo - I totally agree. Even after Atonement completely gutted me, I still saw the movie. Like you, I was concerned that it wouldn't work, but I thought that it was done beautifully.

Never Let Me Go, though? As I read it, I was actually hoping that it would make it to the screen. I have high hopes now that I've seen the trailer.

Posted by: HeathPie at June 16, 2010 2:01 PM

Sorry that my reasoning isn't to your liking, Mike B. The book may have "thoroughly destroyed you," but I made a basic comparison from the little information I had to go on. So chill the fuck out.

Posted by: Brie at June 16, 2010 2:16 PM

I know nothing of the book (but will be added it to my To Do list
very soon). The trailer managed to move me quite nicely.
I'm in for sure.

Posted by: Ms MoMo at June 16, 2010 4:43 PM

I think that looks promising. In fact, if I can convince one of my friends or my boyfriend then I'll probably go see it in theatres.

Question: Should I read the book first or after?

Posted by: becks at June 16, 2010 6:08 PM

I read this book two years ago and could not understand how these folks did not rebel or uprise or SOMETHING. drove me nuts but it was a well told, albeit sad and tragic, story.

Posted by: susiemoss at June 16, 2010 7:05 PM

you guys just convinced me. I'm gonna get the book from the library on my next trip.

Posted by: dene at June 16, 2010 7:05 PM

@ becks:

The Mike Bevel Rule for Movie Adaptations of Books is this: if I haven't read the book, then I see the movie first. It's never as jarring going from movie to book, and it's often a better reading experience. If I've read the book, then I'm a harder sell on seeing the movie.

Posted by: Mike B. at June 16, 2010 7:09 PM

I loved the book so much when I read it last year, even though the ending was so shockingly sad. I'm very much looking forward to this.

Posted by: Tierney at June 16, 2010 9:39 PM

What...the...hell...was...that...supposed...to...be?
I mean, I--were those even sentences? I read some dour stuff, it`s called Canadian Literature, actually. I guess I`m not in the mood for the kind of middlebrow malaise of the Received Pronunciation set. Screaming into the void, hmmm. Robert Aske`s execution was probably shorter and less tedious. Bah, I`m such a snarling little punk.

That would be an interesting thread--most boring book nominees. It being Bloomsday, I really, really wanted to like Ulysses, but I can`t really say anything beyond revealing that I read it. Oh, go huff a leaving, you half-blind, full crazy ol`coot. I want those four days back, and I don`t care if I would`ve just sat around watching Golden Girls marathons. Is it any wonder that not 45 minutes later I experienced the onset of the worst stomach flu of my lifeÉ I`m really ashamed of not liking it, it`s like me, rather than using it for its expressed purpose(sculpting), I merely ingested the Play-Doh, and then had the nerve to call Bernini an apprentice, at best. Sigh, one day I`ll grow up.

Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at June 16, 2010 10:10 PM

"I guess I`m not in the mood for the kind of middlebrow malaise of the Received Pronunciation set."

I don't know what you mean with this sentence. What does "Received Pronunciation" mean? Why is malaise associated with Received Pronunciation?

And why Robert Aske? He was merely hanged in chains. I would think you would go for someone drawn and quartered, like Robert-François Damiens:

"His sentence was carried out on March 28, 1757. The day began with pre-execution tortures. He was burned with red-hot pincers. The hand that held the knife was burned with sulfur, molten wax, lead, and boiling oil. Next, Damiens' limbs were fastened to four horses used to tear his body apart. His limbs did not separate easily and hours later, the executioner severed ligaments and the arms and legs were ripped from the torso. Still alive, Damiens' torso was then burned at the stake." (source: Failed assassination of King Louis XV of France)

Posted by: Mike B. at June 17, 2010 7:58 AM

Not shoulder blades. Clavicle.

Posted by: maewest at June 17, 2010 10:10 PM

Ordered up a copy of this book as the trailer looked fairly interesting.
I'm still somewhat excited about seeing it play out in movie form.

I have to say that I'm with 'Mama' on this one. I've about to 10 pages to
finish off tonight. But this is damn near the most boring book I've read
in such a long time. Nothing about the characters or narrative engaged
me. Nothing of the attempt of foreshadowing was deft. Just simply
a long snooze into "meh". So glad I didn't toss it in the hat for book club.

Posted by: Ms MoMo at July 26, 2010 6:52 PM