A decent rendition of a far from straightforward story

Rating: Null/10 (6 August 2011)

It's possible to consider 'Atomement' as one of Ian McEwan's most conventional novels; but with it's elusive plot and shifting perspectives, it depends very much on the author's characteristically precise prose to hold it together. Therefore, I had my doubts about a film billed as a "romantic epic"; and indeed, there are moments when a little less in the way of lush, stirring music might have been a good thing. But for the most part, it captures the tone of the novel well, and through this, succeeds in maintaining its coherence (although the section set in France feels a little adrift). Overall, I feel much the same about it as I did about the book: it's a clever, subtle exploration of feelings and motives, yet it's almost as if it's lacking the climactic scene. I think this is McEwan's point; that in real life, this scene, as often as not, never takes place. I certainly preferred it, in both its forms, to 'Enduring Love', another of McEwan's novels adapted for the screen.