Atonement
Joe Wright's big screen adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel Atonement is a good film but not a great one. The screenplay by Christopher Hampton is well written. Wright's attention to detail is right on. Seamus McGarvey's lush cinematography is exquisite. And Dario Marianell's score is beautiful. So what could be bad? Well, nothing really. Except it is not great either.
The story focuses on Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) and Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley). Robbie's mother Grace (Brenda Blethyn) works as a maid for Cecilia's parents. There is a strong attraction between the two but, of course, there is the class difference. Cecilia's younger sister Briony (Saoirse Ronan) is watching them closely. Perhaps too closely for everyone's good. She misinterprets something that she sees and tells a lie (although at the time she believes it to be true) that ruins lives. After this event happens we switch to Dunkirk a few years later. It is during the war and Robbie is serving in the British army. There is a spectacular sequence shot of Dunkirk that lasts for several minutes. It absolutely takes your breath away and is one of the best scenes in the film. We then go back to London where we see an older (18) Briony (Romola Garai) working as a nurse. She desperately wants to make amends and right wrongs. But how will she do that? The last ten minutes of the film shows the elderly Briony (Vanessa Redgrave) who is a writer. She talks about her latest book which she has been working on for years.
I won't tell you what the lie is about. If you haven't read the book then it will be a surprise. If you have read the book then you already know. I never compare books to films because they are two different mediums. And I found the war section in the book way too long. However, the book had a certain emotional element that the films doesn't have. Wright seemed to be too detail oriented to be able to concentrate on emotion. McAvoy and Knightley are good but not special enough for awards consideration. However, the three Brionys - Ronan, Garai and Redgrave are all wonderful. When I read the book I cried as I read the last part. And Redgrave did bring tears to my eyes (as hers is the last part). The great Blethyn is wasted in a small role in which she has nothing to do.
Atonement will probably be up for some Oscars. I don't think it deserves to win. But it seems like it might be the Academy's cup of tea. I do hope that they take a risk and pick an edgier film for the win. In any case, if you like period films that contain romance you might want to check this out.
One last thing - Knightley look absolutely skeletal in the film. Someone should get that woman some food!
The story focuses on Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) and Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley). Robbie's mother Grace (Brenda Blethyn) works as a maid for Cecilia's parents. There is a strong attraction between the two but, of course, there is the class difference. Cecilia's younger sister Briony (Saoirse Ronan) is watching them closely. Perhaps too closely for everyone's good. She misinterprets something that she sees and tells a lie (although at the time she believes it to be true) that ruins lives. After this event happens we switch to Dunkirk a few years later. It is during the war and Robbie is serving in the British army. There is a spectacular sequence shot of Dunkirk that lasts for several minutes. It absolutely takes your breath away and is one of the best scenes in the film. We then go back to London where we see an older (18) Briony (Romola Garai) working as a nurse. She desperately wants to make amends and right wrongs. But how will she do that? The last ten minutes of the film shows the elderly Briony (Vanessa Redgrave) who is a writer. She talks about her latest book which she has been working on for years.
I won't tell you what the lie is about. If you haven't read the book then it will be a surprise. If you have read the book then you already know. I never compare books to films because they are two different mediums. And I found the war section in the book way too long. However, the book had a certain emotional element that the films doesn't have. Wright seemed to be too detail oriented to be able to concentrate on emotion. McAvoy and Knightley are good but not special enough for awards consideration. However, the three Brionys - Ronan, Garai and Redgrave are all wonderful. When I read the book I cried as I read the last part. And Redgrave did bring tears to my eyes (as hers is the last part). The great Blethyn is wasted in a small role in which she has nothing to do.
Atonement will probably be up for some Oscars. I don't think it deserves to win. But it seems like it might be the Academy's cup of tea. I do hope that they take a risk and pick an edgier film for the win. In any case, if you like period films that contain romance you might want to check this out.
One last thing - Knightley look absolutely skeletal in the film. Someone should get that woman some food!
posted by Film Fanatic | 8:35 PM
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