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Grand Romance On An Epic Scale Every year, there seems to be one film that receives a lot of positive critical praise and a lot of award nominations, so much so it seems to turn people away from the film. This year, that film is "Atonement". A number of people have hemmed and hawed when I asked if they have already seen the film. "I heard it was like "The English Patient"". I loved "The English Patient" but opinion seems to be equally divided. But "Atonement" is very different. I think any film made in Britain, set during World War II is going to be identified with "The English Patient". That's a shame, because the two films are not very similar and many people intensely dislike the former Oscar winner, so much so that just the mention of it is enough to steer many away from a film that could be remotely like it. "Atonement", based on the book by Ian McEwan, reteams Keira Knightley with her "Pride and Prejudice" director Joe Wright. They have created a masterfully crafted look at a romance interrupted by events beyond the couple's control. In the mid 30s, a hot summer leads everyone at a country house in the English countryside to become antsy. Briony (Saoirse Ronan), a precocious 13 year old, decides to write another play; she will perform it for the assembled houseguests with the help of her cousins and everyone is sure to love it and think she is just brilliant. Her older sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley) finds it difficult to deal with her growing attraction to Robbie (James McAvoy), the caretaker's son. They flirt and challenge each other to show their true affections. But Briony also has a schoolgirl crush on Robbie, and naturally, she doesn't understand all of these feelings or what she sees her older sister experiencing. Invited to dinner, Robbie writes Cecilia a letter and asks Briony to deliver it. He soon realizes he gave her a more explicit letter and yells for her to return. He tries to talk to Cecilia about it, but they give in to their carnal needs. Briony walks in and mistakes what they are doing. One thing leads to another and Robbie ends up in jail (there is a lot of stuff going on, I've only scratched the surface). When World War II begins, he is given the opportunity to join the army to get out of jail, and he is off to the battlefields of France. There, he pines over the letters he receives from Cecilia, who has disowned her family, and her sister, and works as a nurse. Briony (Romola Garai), now a young lady, has also become a nurse and desperately wants to right what she now realizes was a mistake. Directed by Joe Wright, "Atonement" is a great piece of romantic filmmaking. We initially meet Cecilia and Robbie, as they deal with the restrictions of their respective class standing in the way of their romance. Everyone has to be very proper, so they are unable to express their emotions. Then, frustrated by the constant flirting, Robbie writes a letter to Cecilia. But he is unable to come up with the right wording, the proper wording. Because of his inability to express his feelings, he writes an explicit letter, laughs and then writes another letter, a proper letter, but he mistakenly gives the wrong letter to Briony to deliver to Cecilia. Briony is also attracted to the young man, so she sneaks a look at the letter and is shocked. All of this works so well because Wright and his screenwriter, Christopher Hampton, have perfectly captured McEwen's portrait of these rich folks who are languishing in the summer heat, bored and randy, letting their feelings overtake their better morals and better judgment. Briony is a precocious kid and we first meet her after she has finished a new play. Naturally, she has her mother and Cecilia read it, both of whom give their blessings. Then she ropes her cousins, twin boys and their older sister, into agreeing to perform it. But when the older cousin, who is a few years older than Briony, starts to try to take over, Briony gets frustrated. This is her play and she must be in control. Later, Briony's lack of control also helps to explain her actions as they spiral out of control, becoming more severe and damaging. Throughout the first half of the film, Robbie and Cecilia are clearly attracted to each other. Yet, because Robbie is the son of the family's caretaker, they are unable to express their desire. When Cecilia makes a mean comment about Robbie owing her father a lot of money for his schooling, we realize this is the same behavior two school children exhibit when they are interested in one another and unable to show it. It won't fit. Please read the full review at thornhillatthemovies.com email this review to a friend
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