Something to love ... or hate

Rating: 5/10 (7 February 2008)

Love it or hate it - this is one lonnnng movie. It takes the better part of an hour just to get to the incident that would require atonement. And, it isn't so snappy at getting to the act of contrition, either. Fortunately, the resolution is brief.
As for a story, it is a tale of British Society - nuanced and developed by the actions and relationships of people within a manor house. It provides an intricate portrait of manners and repressed emotions - if such things interest you. There are many "flashes" - back, forward, and adolescent - which suggest that pubescent hormones and perceptions of sex could lead one to no longer be able to distinguish between Right & Wrong and that adolescence creates its own reality.
As a morality play, it is certainly unsatisfying. The act of atonement is in no measure commensurate to the gravity of the deed. Perhaps, that is the point? That a member of British Aristocracy would admit to any injustice or wrong should be sufficient atonement.
Definitely for the fans of British Society drama. For the addict, this is more than a quick fix; it is a wallow in the mores and manners of a British Yesteryear. The depiction Dunkirk and the war give great context to this period piece - ah, the Empire which was.