This
is a hard movie to review without giving away spoilers so I will give
as little information regarding the storyline and try to give you a feel
of the film. The story, based on the book by Kazuo Ishiguro,
has a screenplay by Alex Garland and takes place in England---by the
way a lush, green England with various striking landscapes and scenes at
a beach that look haunting--from the 70s to the 90s. It is a sci-fi film--or is it?--that takes place in present day.

We
follow the lives of Kathy H., played by Isobel Meikle-Small as a child
and Carey Mulligan as an adult, Ruth, played by Ella Purnell and Keira
Knightly and Tommy, played by Charlie Row and Andrew Garfield, spending
their childhood in what seems to be a boarding school.  When they are
older they leave the school and move to an area referred to as "the
Cottages" where they learn the purpose of their life. While at the
boarding school a teacher had blurted out to them why they were there
and she was very quickly fired. Being children they heard the teacher
but didn't quite understand what she was saying--that would come later.

The
movie is about what their purpose in life is and how it works out.
There is a triangle between Kathy, Tommy and Ruth that comes to an end
but in an unexpected way.

The director, Mark Romanek, has control of the film and actors. The director of photography, Adam Kimmel, adds a lot to the film as do the actors already mentioned in addition to strong performances by Charlotte Rampling and Sally Hawkins. We learn about the children as they learn about themselves.

The
film leaves you with many questions which leads to interesting
discussions after the credits have finished showing on the screen. Just what was/is behind the  electric bracelets and the red light?