Scan and Pan
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Atonement
A 13-year-old girl named Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) misunderstands the complexity of the adult world when she witnesses sexual activity between her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and housekeeper's son Robbie (James McAvoy). When her cousin Lola (Juno Temple) is raped, Briony is convinced that Robbie is responsible, which sets in motion several tragedies.
Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons, Mary Reilly) adapts Ian McEwan's novel into a screenplay that director Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice) turns into a series of pretty images, but something important is missing from the equation. A story about passion and tragedy needs to engage you emotionally far more than this one does, and no amount of excellent production values can replace that. One glaring flaw is the relationship between Cecilia and Robbie isn't properly established, another is the narrative trickery in the third act that renders the recounting of earlier events unreliable, which again distances the audience from the film. Wright's direction also seems too showy at times, particularly the Dunkirk scenes. The powerful sequence of soldiers waiting for rescue ships just feels out of place here.
Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (The Hours, World Trade Center) uses his tools in this production the way a master painter might. From a rural English manor to London under siege to war-torn France, McGarvey treats us to one gorgeously lit scene after another. It's some of the absolute best cinematography seen on the screen in 2007. Production designer Sarah Greenwood (Pride & Prejudice, Starter for 10) and costume designer Jacqueline Durran (Pride & Prejudice) provide sumptuous sets and costumes that convincingly recreate a bygone era. Dario Marianelli (Pride & Prejudice, V for Vendetta) adds a classy, understated score.
Ronan, a young actress with a bright future, is splendid as the intelligent but uncomprehending Briony. Romola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave also make their presences felt as the same character at later stages of her life. McAvoy delivers another fine performance as Robbie, but Knightley is bland as Cecilia. She doesn't have much chemistry with McAvoy and she isn't able to bring any dimension to her character beyond looking pretty. Temple is excellent as manipulative teenager Juno. The rest of the cast is solid, including Harriet Walker as the matriarch of the Tallis family, Patrick Kennedy as Cecilia and Briony's older brother Leon, Brenda Blethyn as Robbie's mother, Benedict Cumberbatch as Leon's visiting friend Paul, and Danny Mays as one of Robbie's fellow soldiers.
Atonement is nice to look at and offers some good performances, but there's no emotional connection and nothing deeper under the surface. As a whole, the dramatic elements are disappointing in comparison to the impressive technical elements.
[3 out of 5 stars]
This film is technically flawless, stunning even, but it lacks emotional resonance, and it's this that dooms it to being more style than substance.
A 13-year-old girl named Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) misunderstands the complexity of the adult world when she witnesses sexual activity between her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and housekeeper's son Robbie (James McAvoy). When her cousin Lola (Juno Temple) is raped, Briony is convinced that Robbie is responsible, which sets in motion several tragedies.
Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons, Mary Reilly) adapts Ian McEwan's novel into a screenplay that director Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice) turns into a series of pretty images, but something important is missing from the equation. A story about passion and tragedy needs to engage you emotionally far more than this one does, and no amount of excellent production values can replace that. One glaring flaw is the relationship between Cecilia and Robbie isn't properly established, another is the narrative trickery in the third act that renders the recounting of earlier events unreliable, which again distances the audience from the film. Wright's direction also seems too showy at times, particularly the Dunkirk scenes. The powerful sequence of soldiers waiting for rescue ships just feels out of place here.
Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (The Hours, World Trade Center) uses his tools in this production the way a master painter might. From a rural English manor to London under siege to war-torn France, McGarvey treats us to one gorgeously lit scene after another. It's some of the absolute best cinematography seen on the screen in 2007. Production designer Sarah Greenwood (Pride & Prejudice, Starter for 10) and costume designer Jacqueline Durran (Pride & Prejudice) provide sumptuous sets and costumes that convincingly recreate a bygone era. Dario Marianelli (Pride & Prejudice, V for Vendetta) adds a classy, understated score.
Ronan, a young actress with a bright future, is splendid as the intelligent but uncomprehending Briony. Romola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave also make their presences felt as the same character at later stages of her life. McAvoy delivers another fine performance as Robbie, but Knightley is bland as Cecilia. She doesn't have much chemistry with McAvoy and she isn't able to bring any dimension to her character beyond looking pretty. Temple is excellent as manipulative teenager Juno. The rest of the cast is solid, including Harriet Walker as the matriarch of the Tallis family, Patrick Kennedy as Cecilia and Briony's older brother Leon, Brenda Blethyn as Robbie's mother, Benedict Cumberbatch as Leon's visiting friend Paul, and Danny Mays as one of Robbie's fellow soldiers.
Atonement is nice to look at and offers some good performances, but there's no emotional connection and nothing deeper under the surface. As a whole, the dramatic elements are disappointing in comparison to the impressive technical elements.
[3 out of 5 stars]
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