Taika Waititi film Klara and the Sun based on Kazuo Ishiguro novel

Taika Waititi has directed the film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s bestselling novel, ‘Klara and the Sun’. Set in a dystopian future following a third world war and the disappearance of the internet, the story follows Klara (Jenna Ortega), an Artificial Friend (AF) designed to provide companionship to lonely teenagers.

Klara, an older model that relies on solar energy, is chosen by a young girl named Josie (Mia Tharia) to help navigate her difficult family life and health struggles. The film features a cast including Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi, Natasha Lyonne, and Aran Murphy.

Critical reception has been mixed. While some highlight the film's exploration of identity, love, and the humanization of AI, others suggest the adaptation shifts the novel's profound philosophical inquiries into a more sentimental, superficial fable. The narrative also touches on themes of genetic enhancement and the social divide between those who can afford technological upgrades and those who cannot.