A well-packaged semi-failure

Rating: 5/10 (2 October 2007)

'Atonement' Joe Wright, 2007
To begin with, I should start by mentioning that I'm firmly situated in the minority - being that I haven't read Ian McEwan's bestselling novel upon which this film is based. Now that this seemingly relevant piece of information has been divulged, I can commence properly.
The idea of the 'love story' is as old as time itself. Indeed, peril-fraught romances have had theater-dwellers wiping their eyes for as long as cinema has existed. Romantical films that attempt to pull an audience member into a given tale of quivering bosoms and parted lips, sometimes successfully and sometimes not. History dictates that most of these pictures focus upon a central relationship, and Joe Wright's 'Atonement' upholds this standard. We follow the trials of Cecilia and Robbie - one a wealthy yet bored young heiress to a mansion in England's thirties, the other a son of this mansion's paid servant-family. Their fate is somehow determined by 13-year-old Briony Tallis. Younger sister to Cecilia and as fantastical as you they come. Although this character is key to the plot, the film itself focuses on the young couple, hoping to encourage empathy for their plight - for the ultimate injustice of their lives. It is however clear to me that when attempting to inspire some kind of feeling within your audience, you should start at the very root of the passion - at the grass-green shoots of love. 'Atonement' does anything but this, mentioning the central relationship offhandedly before hurling itself into a tale more lustful than love-full. And one that seems to have very little foundation. I simply cannot comprehend the decision to base a film upon a relationship to which you are going to spend no time rearing - or even detailing why it exists. Leaving this quite critical preamble up to viewer perception, before throwing said relationship to the wolves and expecting your entire audience to dive in after it.
So begins a tale of envy, jealousy, bravery, lust, and pride. We are introduced to and released from 'Atonement' through the eyes of younger sister Briony. Who sets the wheels in motion so spectacularly with her unfounded yet life-changing accusations. Much of the events that occur in the film seem unpredictable, making it even more surprising then that the plot itself comes off as rather linear. An inadequacy that director Wright attempts to distract from by altering the film's timeline, often unnecessarily. The acting on show is altogether unremarkable and unabsorbing, with Miss Knightley's well-practiced pout as metallic as it ever was. James McAvoy who shares the lead does well enough with what he's given, but neither actress nor actor are aided by a plot that is somewhat transparent in places. This lack of plot-strength is stunningly covered up however by some quite beautiful cinematography. The entire film is confidently shot with a graceful style, and without giving too much away there is a certain singular long take focusing on Dunkirk beach that will make the eyes water (in a good way). That said, it had no bearing on the story itself - neither did it convince me that the oft-glaring plot holes could be ignored for more than a few pretty and technically wonderful minutes. 'Atonement' is a well-packaged semi-failure. It flaunts romance that has very little foundation or means to deserve empathy, yet it does so while trying to breath new life into a genre it has so utterly forgotten the fundamentals of.
5/10