"The Giver" is loaded with big name celebrities and while Katie Holmes and Taylor Swift may be famous in the entertainment industry, they aren't exactly known for their acting abilities. Meryl Streep may draw die-hard fans to "The Giver," but they will be disappointed with Streep's performance and unavoidably distracted by her awful haircut in the movie. Based on Lois Lowry's award-winning novel, "The Giver" proves that A-list names won't deliver A-list performances in a film.

The movie begins with a sepia filter. Everything is monochromatic and at first I wondered if this was an artistic decision based on the success of "The Artist," which was a black and white modern film. However, the colors of "The Giver" serve as a plot device: the main character, Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), can see flashes of color - the red of an apple, the auburn highlight of a lock of hair - while the rest of the dystopian society lives in black and white.

When children turn 12 years old in Lois Lowry's universe, they are given roles to fulfill in the community. Everyone is shocked when Jonas is chosen as Receiver of Memories, which requires him to train with an old and mysterious man called The Giver.

Jonas must receive memories of a painful past forgotten by the dystopian society, including emotions like loss and war. But he also learns that with pain comes pleasure, like the thrill of sledding down a hill to the love and comfort of a family.

These scenes of The Giver sharing human history with Jonas are the most memorable. Flashes of clips show people praying, protesting, revolting, and in peaceful meditation, reminding the audience the beauty amid the difficulties of life. Emotions are painful but they also open us up to everything the world has to offer.

"The Giver" is also a commentary on the human desire to break the rules. A society that builds too many walls around its people and restricts too much creativity and freedom is one bound to fail. The human spirit is too curious not to test the boundaries.

The biggest question "The Giver" raises: Can we learn from history? Will remembering the horror of war and violence deter repetition? Or is it more dangerous to know what humans are capable of?

Despite these heavy themes, the pacing of "The Giver" was incredibly jolting - the beginning seemed too slow and dreamy and the end was rushed and difficult to follow. I found the melodrama of the script distracting from the message of the storyline.

Alexander Skarsgard fans will squeal when they see his multiple scenes with babies - who doesn't like seeing a hot dude holding an infant? But this is where Alexander's charisma ends. His line delivery is boring and devoid of emotion.

On the other hand, Streep is over the top. Her wide, blank eyes beneath that fringe of hair feels like we're catching Meryl after really bad eye-lift surgery. Her lines are long-winded and don't hold any weight.

Taylor Swift's brief appearance is distracting because it's impossible to see her as anyone other than Taylor Swift wearing a brunette wig.

Perhaps the most disturbing part of "The Giver" is the sexualization of 17-year-old Odeya Rush, who plays Jonas' love interest, Fiona. This young girl is portrayed with pouty lips and bedroom eyes, like a younger, less quirky, version of Mila Kunis, and it felt downright inappropriate.

For moviegoers wondering whether to see this movie, I would say read the book instead.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars.