Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Pain makes life colorful in dystopian adaptation.
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The Giver
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 26 parent reviews
Parents say the film adaptation offers a solid exploration of substantial themes from the original novel, though some felt it simplified certain aspects of the storyline and characters to cater to a younger audience. While many found it enjoyable and emotionally impactful, especially the performances and musical score, opinions were divided on its appropriateness for younger viewers due to intense scenes involving violence and death.
- emotional depth
- thematic complexity
- viewer age sensitivity
- good adaptation
- strong performances
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 111 kid reviews
Kids say this film has garnered mixed reviews, with many praising its emotional depth and visual transitions from black-and-white to color, while others criticize it for deviating significantly from the book's storyline and pacing. The movie contains some violence and dark themes, which some viewers find inappropriate for younger audiences, but it also provides positive messages about individuality and the value of emotions.
- messy adaptation
- emotional impact
- violent scenes
- romance present
- read the book
- deep themes
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
THE GIVER takes place in a futuristic utopian society called "the community," where, at age 16, residents prepare for their coming-of-age ceremony, where they're assigned a specific job -- like birth mother, nurturer, teacher, or security. Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) is surprised when, at the Ceremony for Advancement, the Chief Elder (Meryl Streep) announces that Jonas has been selected as the newest Receiver of Memory -- the one person in the community to understand all the pain and truths that the rest of the society is spared. His teacher will be The Giver of Memory (Jeff Bridges), who will impart all of his knowledge. But as Jonas begins his sessions with The Giver, he also starts seeing things as they really are, not as the community wants them to be -- he sees in color (everyone else sees in black and white) and develops feelings for his friend, Fiona (Odeya Rush). Worst of all, Jonas realizes that life with pain is preferable to the "Sameness" on which the community is based.
Is It Any Good?
This is an adaptation worth seeing, particularly for the conversations you can have once the credits roll. As anyone who has read Lois Lowry's source novel will immediately notice, the movie's Jonas is five years older than he is in the book (and Thwaites was actually already in his 20s while filming!), making him a full adolescent as opposed to being on the cusp of puberty. While the aging up works when it comes to focusing on the central romantic subplot, it may upset the tweens and younger teens who related to Jonas' journey precisely because he was their age, not a teen on the brink of adulthood like the majority of young adult protagonists. But more bothersome is the fact that viewers -- unlike readers -- are limited in their connection to the cinematic Jonas and what's going on in the community, because it's not really an action story like Divergent -- it's a story of ideas that's better experienced on the page.
Of all the actors, Alexander Skarsgard (as Jonas' father) does the most subtle work, portraying how, even in such a tightly controlled society, some individuals are more loving and nurturing, even if they don't fully understand what love means. Katie Holmes (as Jonas' mother) and Streep both play unquestioning proponents of Sameness, and Rush sure is beautiful, but because feelings are manipulated in the community, The Giver is not a romance on the swoony level of Katniss and Peeta's or Tris and Four's. The characters in the community, with the exception of Jonas and the Giver, must by their very nature act eerily dispassionate, even-keeled, and neutral about everything -- even throwing a dead baby down a garbage chute. That flatness, which is so freaky in the book, doesn't work quite as well on the screen.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popularity of dystopian settings in young adult literature and movies. What is it about futuristic stories that appeals to readers and viewers?
How would you describe the violence in this movie? Is it scary? Disturbing? Why? Are there other parts of the movie that are nonviolent but also upsetting? How do they compare?
It took more than 20 years after the book was published for The Giver to hit the big screen. How do you think that timing affected its impact?
Fans of the book: Was the movie a faithful adaptation? What differences did/didn't you like, and which scenes from the book did you miss?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 15, 2014
- On DVD or streaming : November 25, 2014
- Cast : Alexander Skarsgard , Jeff Bridges , Meryl Streep , Brenton Thwaites
- Director : Phillip Noyce
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Weinstein Co.
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Book Characters
- Run time : 94 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : a mature thematic image and some sci-fi action/violence
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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