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| Movie Review: Atonement Alternate Title: The 'C' Word
Story: If only director Joe
Wright (Pride and Prejudice) had developed the second
half of his latest film as engagingly as the first half, well - it coulda
been a contenda! However - that was not to be. The screenplay by
Christopher Hampton is based on the wildly popular novel (more
on this topic in Predilection) by Ian McEwan.
It is 1935, pre-war England, where the landed
gentry act as if nothing can shake their rights and privileges. Little
thirteen year old Briony spies her older sister Cecilia doing something
strange by the water fountain with Robbie, the son of their cook. She
then snoops and finds them doing something even ickier in the library.
That very same night she also happens upon her older cousin doing something
nasty in the woods. That one night changes the lives of all involved.
Wright films that night from several points of
view and it works well. Fast forward to four years later and the film
changes. The characters did not develop for me and most of the scenes
seem staged and postured. Cinematography by Seamus McGarvey
was sweeping and lovely to watch but looked more like commercials for
perfumes or clothing lines instead of the movie sets. This story of obsession, tragedy, atonement and
war should have had me engrossed but it simply did not grab me. Just
because a film is released at the end of the year does not make it automatically
an Oscar contender. Predilection: I hated the book. The film was better
paced than the never ending book and I tried very hard to be objective
while watching the film.
Critters: A barn owl, dogs and horses (two are shot
in the war)
Food: You would think there would have been more
food but drama overtook meals.
Sex Spectrum: It turns out to be Cecilia and Robbie
in the library with a ladder.
Blatant Product Placement: None
Soundtrack: The music by Dario Marianelli
was at times over the top but I did like the addition of the
typewriter keys to move the story forward,
Visual Art: It was a lovely film to watch with attention
to detail sumptuous.
Theater Audience: A very odd assortment of people
for an early show on a Tuesday morning.
Weather: The weather was quite lovely in England and
in France.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: War is always hell
Drift Factor: I drifted often.
Predictability Level: High - if you read the book.
Surprises if you did not.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: No
Big Screen or Rental: If you are a fan of the book
I would suggest the big screen. If not - wait for Cable.
Length: Two hours
LOBO HOWLS: 6 |