Atonement (2007)

Very Poor Storytelling

In full disclosure mode... I am one of four of us that saw this movie that did not like it. I won't rehash the storyline. There are many, many reviews that do that. I will simply point out the big problem areas for me:....

Period pieces are tough. They run the risk of dragging a storyline down. Forty-two minutes into the movie I was about to lose my mind from sheer boredom. The pace of the movie was logged down by an inept unfolding of a period piece.

Flashback sequences are tricky. Do it wrong and you confuse your audience. This was horrifying. There was a lack of consistency in order and I began wondering "Three weeks earlier?" Is that three weeks earlier than the six months earlier we are moving away from or is it three weeks earlier from the completion of the six months span of time?

Theatrical screen shots rapidly become parody if they do not support the storyline. I actually laughed out loud at many of the theatrical shots. A soldier standing in front of a black and white movie screen.... the closeup of a broken vase. It did not support the story, these moments that are liberally sprinkled through this movie felt like the overfawning inner artiste' of bad direction. It truly took time out of the movie and did not pull the story forward.

And... NEVER offer up a story about a storyteller if you cannot actually tell a story. Some movies are not storytelling greatness. The main character is a writer. A Storyteller. And this movie is her "story" of what happened.

And lastly - if you are going to name a movie "Atonement"... show atonement. (I will have to say that two of the three people who watched this movie and liked it, agreed with me on this point). If Atonement was the title and the subject, it would have been interesting to actually see that. You get a small admission of wanting atonement, but there is no "aha" moment you see with the main character. And part of the reason for that is there is no focus on her process other than to show her nursing. But Atonement is a deep process and this was a shallow reference.

I would feel very put upon if I should ever be forced to watch this movie again. And although it appears that I stand alone... I cannot recommend this movie.

January 2, 2009

bad bad bad

its a disgusting movie.. i kept waiting to find something interesting in the movie but NO it just got worse. very boring and a total waste of time. December 18, 2008

Beautifully sad

Beautifully shot, Atonement begins by introducing us to the wealthy Tallis family, ensconced in an impressive estate in England during the late 1930s. Briony (played as a young girl by Saoirse Ronan), the youngest member of the family at 13, is a budding writer, concocting plays and other works to be presented at family gatherings. We also meet Cecilia Tallis (played with heartbreak by Kiera Knightley), Briony's gorgeous older sister. During the early course of the film, Cecilia learns that Robbie (James McAvoy), educated son of the family housekeeper, is in love with her. In a moment of almost-shock, Cecilia realizes that she returns this love.

Young Briony, who happens to have a crush on Robbie herself, accidentally walks in on the two lovers one pivotal evening. Events later that night lead to Briony accusing Robbie of a crime he didn't commit. His quick arrest, and subsequent enrollment in the British army (WWI), deny Robbie and Cecilia the time together that they so long for.

Years later, Briony sorts through what happened, understanding her terrible error and what it meant, leading to the title of the film.

This film is beautiful to look at. Shots are carefully composed. Period costuming, hair, makeup, and props are impeccable. Keira Knightley wears an emerald gown that is a revelation. It is cut so delicately that it even makes her stick-thin body look curvy.

Performances are amazing. Knightley portrays Cecilia as achingly bewildered by her feelings, then stricken with yearning at being separated from her lover. McAvoy's Robbie is a triumph, particularly in the scenes during his military service. There is a slow, uninterrupted shot of his face, during which he discovers the evidence of a mass execution, that will stay with me a long time. An older Briony is played in a genius turn by Vanessa Redgrave at the end of the film, summing up the heart of the tale.

I sobbed like a baby at the end. Sooo worth seeing. December 10, 2008

Tragic Lovestory (B+ Grade)

Atonement is such a beautifully shot movie. Every scene was filmed perfectly and Keira Knightley must be one of the most beautiful actresses in the past decade to act on screen. (Even though someone should make her eat a hamburger or two because she is very skinny) I also read the book by Ian McEwan and I must say the interpretation to screen was very well done.

This is a very tragic love story because of what someone thinks they see and their actions that set into motion events that will destroy three lives. I also feel that this was very much a fairy tale. We have beautiful princess in love with her beautiful prince and the evil villainess who separates them forever. But the villainess finds redemption and realizes the horrors of what she had done and looks to atone for her sins.

The tragedy is all because of what a thirteen year old girl thinks she sees. Briony has a very active imagination. She loves to write plays and stories and sees the world in a very different way from those around her. It is the summer of 1935 in England, right before World War II. This should be a carefree summer of swimming, playing and enjoying life. Briony has an older sister, Cecilia (Keira) who acts quite worldly. Briony looks up to her older sister and Cecilia treats Briony as any older sister would with their annoying younger sister. Then there is the housekeeper's son Robbie (James McAvoy) Briony has a crush on Robbie. Robbie humors Briony. Robbie wants Cecilia. Cecilia, even though she acts cold to Robbie, wants him as much as he wants her.

As Briony watches from her bedroom window, she sees a confrontation between Robbie and Cecilia and assumes something is wrong. As we find out what she thinks she sees is misconstrued. This starts the ball rolling. Robbie has been invited to dinner by Briony and Cecilia's brother. We see him typing away at his typewriter trying to come up with a note to apologize to Cecilia. He decides to have a little fun and types a very sexual graphic and bunt note about what he would like to do to Cecilia. He doesn't think it will ever be read by anyone and instead writes a more formal note. BUT, by accident Robbie takes the graphic note and hands it to Briony to give to Cecilia. OOOPS!! Briony reads it (even though I can't understand how at her age she knows what one of the words means) and thinks Robbie is a sex fiend. But she still gives the note to Cecilia who is very intrigued by his blunt words.

Poor Robbie thinks his goose is cooked and when he knocks on the door, Cecilia answers. They both come to an agreement about how they feel for each other in a darkened library. And do they ever- the best scene in the whole movie! Briony comes across them and is shocked by what she sees. This is the final third strike against Robbie and Cecilia. As the night goes on a horrible thing happens to Briony's older cousin Lola and Briony is right there to blame Robbie.

Because of Briony's lies and confusion, she destroys any chance at happiness Robbie and Cecilia can have together. Briony's life is also ruined as you will come to see. Four years go by, Robbie is off fighting in France, Cecilia is a nurse separated from her family and Briony wants to make amends, but can't. There is tragedy on all ends and these three people will never be carefree or happy ever again. To the very end Briony is the one who tells this tale and you will be crying over her pain and suffering and that of her sister and her young lover, who only had a small moment together in that dark library against the shelves.

Katiebabs December 2, 2008

Drama that doesn't cut deep enough

I'm not going to spend a lot of time discussing this film, because quite frankly it isn't worthy of that much attention. But since it is a British period piece based on a prestigious novel, a lot of people went nuts over it. Essentially the plot deals with a young girl, who driven by jealousy, tells a lie that ends up ruining the lives of two people. The title, as you have probably gathered, refers to her attempts to atone for this one mistake. There are lots of things wrong with this movie. For starters, the acting isn't up to the material. James McAvoy and Keira Knightley fizzle in the lead roles. The central plot device, i.e. the lie that destroys their lives, is rather unplausible. It seems to me that any kind of real detective work would have revealed the truth. But the biggest problem is that the movie is emotionally empty. Shouldn't a film that deals with a character's guilt and remorse sting with the ache of regret and sorrow? You never feel anything for any of these characters. It's only in the final moments, when Vanessa Redgrave shows up that the film generates any real emotion. By that time, you stopped caring about any of what was going on a long time ago. November 26, 2008

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