Review of Atonement

Not the Same Old Song

When I walked into the Angelika Plano to view Atonement, it was rumored to my ears to be the next Titanic. Some may view this as a good thing, but I did not. Now, perhaps my problems with Titanic were directly related to the poisonous girlfriend I had at the time, but I like to think that I just didn't like the movie because it tried too hard. Titanic told a love story between a woman of privilege and a man with street smarts but underprivileged in society. To me, Titanic told this story in the same manner I'd seen it told before, and threw in the necessary visual flair to bring it to Oscar stardom. Unfortunately, I walked into a theater with all of this baggage; luckily, that baggage ruined all of fifteen seconds of the movie for me.

We experience the beginning primarily through the eyes of Briony Tallis, the 13 year old daughter of an upper class Englishman in 1935, and acted outstandingly by Saoirse Ronan. It's so hard to find a film where a young actress doesn't suck the believability out of the story, but Ronan does a superb job. Briony is in the process of typing a play to be performed for her brother, returning after a lengthy absence. The typewriter instantly becomes an extended metaphor throughout the film, cluing us into the fact that what we are seeing on film is seen through the eyes of its characters, and the score of the film, which frequently uses the sounds of a typewriter as a percussive instrument, subtly reinforces this.

After finishing her play, she searches for her mother, whom she wishes to read the finished product. En route, she interacts with Robbie (James McAvoy), the son of the caretaker, whom she obviously has an extremely volatile crush on. After the course of a few events, we see, through the eyes of Briony, a seemingly scandalous occurrence in the garden between Robbie and Briony's older sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley). At this point in the film, the events begin to twist; and what truly mesmerizes for the rest of the duration is not so much the love story, but the way in which perspective plays a huge part in the viewers', within the film and the audience's, interpretations.

Following Briony's voyeurism is the interpretation of the event from the perspective of Cecelia and Robbie, which we find is full of childishness and accident, even containing a touch of the bashful. The scandal Briony sees is not a scandal at all. In fact, the next scandal isn't actually a scandal either, but a terrible mistake. Through the realities of her crush, however, Cecilia makes things extremely difficult for the couple, possibly even ending their relationship.

The story then proceeds to weave itself through time and viewpoints not at random, but with a definite view towards explanation and understanding, as though the film is trying to understand itself. As the film edges into the period encompassing World War II, it takes on a near dream-like quality, aided especially by the gothic nature of the cinematography, the tribal force of the musical score, and the careful editing from scene to scene, editing which actually seems to become as much a character as any of the tangible, named ones in the film.

You'd really be doing yourself a disservice by not seeing this film as soon as possible. If anything, this film should be seen for its testament to how history isn't embedded into our brains, but made into something different than reality by our own perspectives of such personal events, and how this new internal history can be more real and more true than what an unedited camera could record. There's just no arguing it, really; Atonement is a force to be reckoned with, a story well told, and truly affective as both a love story and a window into the true nature of the heart and morality.

OSCAR THOUGHTS

Given that Oscar time is on its way, and given the infrequency of great films this year thus far, I'd have to say I see Atonement taking home no less than four Oscars. I can't see it having much competition in the original score category, and I believe it will win Best Picture. Just based on past experience, I'd say Joel & Ethan Coen will win the Director category for No Country for Old Men. However, Atonement will win the film Editing category, as well as Best Adapted Screenplay. Keira Knightley will also likely take home her first Best Actress Oscar, because she draws us in almost as much as any other element in the film does. Also look for a nomination (but no win) for Saoirse Ronan in the Supporting Actress category, and perhaps the same for James McAvoy in the Best Supporting Actor category. Though Sweeney Todd may give it a run for its money, Atonement should get a win in Costuming as well; plus, I really think Burton's crew will receive its big nod yet again in the Art Direction category.

I feel sad that the Coens won't win Best Picture, but at least Deakins has a good shot at Cinematography (though I doubt he'll beat Atonement).

Posted on 12/28/07 by: chrisrayn 08:26 PM