Klara and the Sun premieres amid divided early reviews

Klara and the Sun, Taika Waititi’s science-fiction adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on October 15, opening a sharply divided early critical response ahead of its scheduled theatrical release on October 23. Jenna Ortega stars as Klara, an artificial companion bought by a family for their ailing daughter, Josie, played by Mia Tharia. The story follows Klara as she tries to help the family and build a relationship with Josie. Amy Adams plays Josie’s mother, alongside a cast that includes Aran Murphy, Steve Buscemi and Natasha Lyonne. The film’s reviews differ on whether its hopeful approach succeeds. One critic praised Ortega’s performance and described the film as a fable about hope, while noting that its ending becomes messy. Other reviews faulted the adaptation as overly sentimental and argued that it fails to capture the novel’s central concerns. Another assessment characterized it as upbeat but saccharine. These are individual critical judgments, not a settled consensus on the film’s quality. Ortega said she hopes the story will encourage audiences to focus on one another, put down their phones and computers, and be present with...