"Atonement"
Posted by: Chris Kelly on 24 September 2007
We went to see it on Saturday evening. Good to see a cinema packed for a British film. It was one of those rare movies where the majority of the audience didn't stand up and leave as the final credits roled - it is a very powerful story, well told and well acted. It takes a while to adjust to the time jumps but they are necessary for the denouement.
The only real anachronism which struck me was when the main male character is reclining in his bath in 1934 or 5, looks up through the skylisght and sees a Lancaster bomber fly overhead. With so much attention to period detail it seems odd that this one got through. Hey ho.
I thoroughly recommend this film to anyone who seekds something a bit deeper and more thought-provoking than the usual multiplex fare.
Posted on: 24 September 2007 by chiba
Perfectly titled choice for that day too.
Posted on: 24 September 2007 by Bruce Woodhouse
I thought it was a bold attempt at a pretty subtle and hard to film novel. I liked sections (especially the Dunkirk single shot sequence) but it was ruined by Keira Knightley for me. I don't think she can act, and her usual 'spoilt head-girl' persona just irritated me. A role crying out for a young Kristen Scott-Thomas. I also nearly spluttered my popcorn at the ridiculous cockney-type with his 'Cor blimey guvnor someones gonna cop a packet'.
Still way above normal film fodder despite my reservations.
Bruce
PS watched Little Miss Sunshine on DVD this weekend. Irritating cute kid, feelgood family comedy-all recipe for a nightmare you may think. In fact we thought it was great, funny, subtle and un-schmaltzy.
Posted on: 24 September 2007 by Chris Kelly
Bruce
Take your point about la Knightley, a young K S-T would have been wonderful. The girl who played the sister did pretty well I thought. It was episodic but not to the point of being too hard to follow. I thought the Cockney lad brought a much needed touch of levity to the thing.
Posted on: 26 September 2007 by hungryhalibut
quote:
We went to see it on Saturday evening
We saw it on Saturday too, and really enjoyed it. A good performance from Keira Knghtly in my view - perhaps it's just fashionable to diss her?
Then we went home, had a nice meal, were just about to go to bed when the phone rang (10.30pm) with the news that son no. 2 had fallen out of a tree at cub camp on Brownsea Island and was in A&E at Poole hospital. Hmm.
Nigel
Posted on: 26 September 2007 by GerryMcg
Nigel, I trust he is OK now!
Regards
Gerry
Posted on: 26 September 2007 by hungryhalibut
quote:
I trust he is OK now!
Milking it!! Actually, he's been very stoic.
Nigel
Posted on: 27 September 2007 by Chris Kelly
Poor lad. Hope he is soon restored to health and vigour Nigel.
Posted on: 21 October 2007 by Steve Smith
Haven't yet managed to see the film, but the book is very powerful. I thoroughly recommend it.
Steve
