Nothing to "Atone" For

Rating: 10/10 (1 March 2008)

"Atonement" is a rarity; the prestige-slathered Oscar treat that, far from being driven by look-at-me desperation, is both watchable and commendable. The story is epic, but Joe Wright moves along Ian McEwan's epic of childish lies (the child being the radiant Saoirse Ronan) and adult war (waged, both socially and on the frontlines, by soldier James McAvoy and nurses Keira Knightley and, playing an adult version of Ronan, Romola Garai) with the precision and clarity of a diamond cutter. The acting is all around top-notch; with the performances being that of McAvoy and Vanessa Redgrave (playing an even older version of Garai). Both have a moment or two where there character turns the film around, and they both manage to do it not only without looking ridiculous, but with a simple, clipped poignancy that lends the film an edge of raw emotion. This movie, however, is driven by behind the scenes workers. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (robbed come Oscar time!) has created an incomparable visual feast of the kind not seen since the hey-day of David Lean or Stanley Kubrick, and Dario Marinelli creates a brilliant, moving score. Sure, occasionally the movies reach exceeds its grasp-the war scenes never do cut deep enough- but who cares when the grasp is so bold and ingeniously constructed? Atonement is a flawed but impeccable gem in the crown of a great, great year for movies.