About The Giver

The Giver is a 2014 American social science fiction film directed by Phillip Noyce and based on the 1993 novel of the same name by Lois Lowry. The film is set in a society which appears to be Utopian but is later revealed to have dark secrets. The story follows a young boy named Jonas who is chosen to inherit the position of Receiver of Memory, the person who stores all the past memories of the time before Sameness, in case they are ever needed to aid in decisions that others lack the experience to make.

Making / Production

The film rights to The Giver were initially bought by Warner Bros. Studios in 2007. But the production of the film was put off for several years, eventually being picked up by The Weinstein Company and Walden Media. The film was shot in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Philip Noyce was picked as the director for the thought-provoking movie.

Actors

• Jeff Bridges plays the role of The Giver. He effectively enacts the wisdom and sorrow of a man burdened by being the sole keeper of society's history and memories.
• Brenton Thwaites portrays Jonas, the protagonist. Thwaites delivers a captivating performance of a young boy's journey from ignorance to enlightenment.
• Meryl Streep plays the role of the Chief Elder. Streep gives an outstanding performance as the leader of the dystopian society, embodying the calm yet eerie control she has over the community.
• Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgård act as Jonas's mother and father, respectively. They effectively portray the cold unfeeling conditioning of a society that has chosen to live without emotion.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film is in black and white for the first part, transitioning into color as Jonas begins to experience emotions.
• Lois Lowry, the author of the novel, has a cameo in the film.
• Jeff Bridges originally wanted to direct the movie and cast his father Lloyd Bridges as The Giver.

Awards

The film was nominated for a Teen Choice Award in the category of Choice Movie: Drama.

Quotes

• "Memories are not just about the past. They determine our future."
• "We gained control over many things. But we had to let go of others."
• "You can't force others to see the truth. It must come from within."

Music, Soundtrack

• "Ordinary Human" by OneRepublic
• "Silent" by Tori Kelly
• "Color" by OneRepublic