The Giver

     In both Lois Lowry’s book and Phillip Noyce’s movie, The Giver pulls a dystopian world view out of a basic adolescent frustration. Jonas and Fiona discover first stirrings of love — but any physical demonstration, or even the use of the word, not to mention respect for the emotion, is severely forbidden by the adult world. As any teen would understand, the grownups have forgotten what love means. 

That grey world is bereft of emotions, memories and humanity. Hence the film’s palette from the 40s, film grise. Jonas’s original assignment is — as Receiver — to receive the race’s memories from the Giver. In the latter role Jeff Bridges is the depository of all experience and wisdom — in other words, the Anti-Dude, a reversal of his persona. But when he spurs his young charge to break his fetters and the restraints that oppress the entire society, the Dude rises again. 

The film’s broader statement is our loss of humanity when we try to reduce life to the safe and the neutered. Without pain, grief, war, we miss the positive extensions of love and faith and hope. In the film’s ultimate endorsement of adolescent solipsism, Jonas has only to sled through a vaporous barrier and he will restore the entire community’s lost collective memory, recovering their lost emotional spectrum. One sentient kid can save mankind. This is Footloose on steroids. Rather than the teen having to bend to the world's will, the world here bends to his. No wonder this is such a popular YA narrative.

Fiona’s professional touch with infants and Jonas’s commitment to baby (angel) Gabriel contrast to all the other characters’ unfeeling treatment of babies. The heroes’ instincts emphasize the unnaturalness of the system (which derives from Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, inter alia). Gabriel’s name echoes his Biblical forbear who heralded the new kingdom. His extraordinary patience through the arduous wintry trek suggests he already senses the seriousness of his mission, so he’s not going to act up. A worthy model for every infant seated behind me on any flight.

As the society’s head Meryl Streep’s capacity to teleport herself anywhere and to materialize and dematerialize there at will has the incidental effect of embodying the insubstantiality of her power and principles. In contrast, the Giver can rematerialize a scene from his past while remaining tangibly present. His powerful memory trumps her power of willful amnesia.
     The title suggests the Bridges character is the central one. No, it’s still Receiver Jonas, who grows into the title mantle when — after receiving the Giver’s range of instruction  — he breaks out to become a Giver himself, before his time. He gives Gabriel back his life, Fiona her first intimation of emotion, and his society their hearts and minds back.