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Printer-Friendly ModeAtonement stirring, engaging
January 28, 2008 —
While I was extremely excited to see the film Atonement, I found myself not nearly as excited to review it. As most Vanguard readers should be aware, this wasn't because I have a problem reviewing films, but because Atonement is the type of film that is best to see knowing the least about.
As such, giving a synopsis is quite difficult, so I'm going to make my overview as vague and general as possible. Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) is a 13-year-old aspiring writer in the years just before World War II, and she accuses the ground's keeper, Robbie Turner (James McAvoy), of a crime he didn't commit. This has irrevocable effects on both of their lives and the life of her older sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightly), who had been having a secret relationship with Turner.
Does that seem like I'm telling you too much? Don't worry. My synopsis doesn't even come close to scratching of the surface of the actual story on display, and what makes the movie so intriguing is the nature of the story and how it unfolds.
Describing that nature as metafictional may be a bit of a stretch, for Atonement is no Adaptation or Stranger than Fiction, especially because it is a period piece. Yet, there is a heightened awareness about the film's cinematography at times, and the film editing during certain sequences seemed to beg me to pay close attention, as did the strange format of the subtitles that occurred once or twice in the film. Pay attention to what, you may ask? That is precisely what I was asking in my head during the film.
And if the cinematography didn't make me feel as if I needed to pay attention, the film's score certainly did, but maybe that was just the writer in me being observant on an auditory level. The music jumps back and forth from being moving orchestra ballads to jarring modernist percussion-based pieces (if they can be called that), driven by the harmony of multiple typewriters.
All of these subtle nuances are in the careful hands of director Joe Wright, who shows tremendous visual talent in only his second film (his first was Pride and Prejudice, also with Knightly). The screenplay was adapted from Ian McEwan's novel by Christopher Hampton. His dialogue was beautifully minimal (I'm a theater major. I pay attention to these kinds of things, though not an expert).
As to the acting: The film is Briony's, and newcomer Saoirse Ronan is captivating as the 13-year-old version of the character. She maintains innocence, yet obscures it with both jealousy and dismay. McAvoy comes in a close second to the young actress, as I hardly recognized him when he appeared in the second act of the film, and I think that Vanessa Redgrave entrances during a brief sequence.
Still, I have to admit that my opinion of Atonement is slightly more skewed than normal. I'm certain it is a good film, but for me it was something more because I became both emotionally and intellectually involved in what was going on. Will everyone get as involved on both levels? Probably not, but even if it manages to captivate you in one format, I feel you'll be glad to have seen it.