A visually exquisite film that could have been so much better

Rating: 7/10 (3 February 2008)

Atonement tells the story of Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), a 13-year-old fledging writer and member to a family of wealthy British socialites in the 1930's. She has a crush on the hired help in the much older Robbie Turner (James McAvoy), but she notices that her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) seems to have similar feelings. But after reading a letter by chance and witnessing some rather disturbing events, Briony changes the course of life for more than just a few people.
I was not quite sure what I was expecting going into Atonement, but the movie I saw was not it. I do not necessarily think this is a bad thing, but I do think it helps to know very little about it. Yes, it is very romantic in a handful of scenes, but it so much more darkly mysterious than the ad material lets on. Just the sheer notion of the course of events that leads up to Briony's irrevocable change is quite disturbing all in itself.
Atonement has a rather enigmatic method of sequencing. Falling quite distinctly beside the likes of Akira Kurosawa's Rashômon and Zhang Yimou's obvious homage Hero, Atonement tells its story from a few points of view, showcasing a few events through multiple angles. What is great is that we actually get to see these angles from the very point-of-view of the character, almost to the point of being a voyeur (much like Briony herself). It makes for an intriguing of watching the film, and it leads to a greater of understanding of the motivations of each of the main characters. It may not be easy for casual filmmakers to understand the use of seeing these angles used more than few times early on, but it does truly make sense as the film goes on, and is not simply a British upper class nod to those Asian filmmakers.
The story itself, while being heavily convoluted (in part thanks to the really well done multiple angles), is a bit off. I liked where it went, and I like how it explored what happened to the characters (since the first half is almost entirely comprised of the day of Briony's big moment), but its focus seemed a bit wonky. I realize and understand what screenwriter Ian McEwan (and in turn, novelist Christopher Hampton) was trying to capture and achieve in the writing, but it works half of the time. I found myself more baffled at the lengths some of these scenes rather ridiculous, and just disliked how it was so careless with its moments of exploration and development. The characters do develop over the course of the film, but just not to the point that the film lends itself to thinking they do.
What I also did not like was the length. The first half goes by fairly quickly, but the second half just drags endlessly. A lot of the strongest scenes in the film, and the ones I liked the most, are in the second half, but the filmmakers just seem to have less of a idea as to what they wanted to do with them. They know how to make them look great, but making them play off just as good seems to be a bit of a problem. It is disappointing to think so much effort was put into the early moments, but not enough was given to the later ones. It does not help that the first half does not jump around nearly as much as the second, but the film does not seem balanced. Once the ending hits, the film practically flies, but getting there is almost a test of endurance in itself.
The beautiful imagery stays consistent throughout the film, even at its darkest (both literally and figuratively) moments. Director Joe Wright and company have composed a gorgeous looking film, with minute details at every corner and just the right amount of authenticity. Some of the scenes they compose are simply breathtaking as well. One long take late in the film in war torn France is simply fantastic, and speaks volumes of the level of effort put into making the film. It reminded me a lot of the amazingly captured scenes in Children of Men, and I think it qualifies as some of the best sequencing of the year. I was very impressed with the visuals, and I think they helped keep my eyes peeled to the screen and not faltering into the boredom that sets in because of the story. The typewriter infused score is also very well done, and quite riveting at times.
The acting from the cast is uniformly good, with some standouts. After being disappointed with his work in The Last King of Scotland, McAvoy really knocked my socks off here. His wounded character is very well conveyed, and truly proves his worth as an up and coming actor. No, it is nowhere near as good as the likes of Daniel Day-Lewis, Viggo Mortensen, Johnny Depp or even Denzel Washington, but it is great all in its own. I can only hope he continues on this streak. Knightley on the other hand, is not all that great. She does fairly well for herself, but she does not seem to be giving it her all. I am not going to say that her acting is bad here, it just does not seem to be up to the calibre the film is trying to project.
Ronan is the true marvel here (and miles ahead of Briony's older forms in Romola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave), and outshines everyone in the cast. Her naivety and amazing style speaks of being a more seasoned veteran, and I hope she can continue on this wave length for The Lovely Bones and beyond.
In the end, Atonement is a good film that could have been a whole lot better. If for anything, see it for the astonishing visuals and the even better Ronan.
7.5/10.