Atonement (2007)

final verdict for: "Atonement" (2007): Another example for a good movie that is almost ruined by a WTF-ending.

Set in pre- and war-UK the story of what could, what would and what should have been is told, when a girl dooms the relationship of a loving couple through things she does not yet understand.

I am not a big fan of Keira Knightley, but admittedly, her performance is rock-solid. So is the performance of the rest of the cast. The roles were close to perfectly cast, wtih only minor characters whose character were more represented through their look and appearance than through their actions and dialogue.

However good the music, cinematography and directing are, there are certain bothering elements. A brilliant movie will use stylistic devices, such as POV in a way that the audience does not recognize them. A bad movie does not use stylistic devices. And this movie uses them so blatantly obvious that they loose all meaning, because they are so obvious you don't need to use your brain. There'S the POV-shots that establish the fact between real incidents and incidents as they are interpreted by the girl. There is lighting and style in the design of the pre-war scenery mansion that is more reminiscent of the Narnia movies than the 1930's and there's the obnoxious long shot that is very well executed, but so blatantly obvious in its meaning you'd wish it wasn't there.

Another example from the same corner is the music. It is brilliant and when you first realize the clicking of the type-writer is incorporated into the music, you are very satisfied, as it is a very clever move. However, after hearing it around 15 times it becomes a hit in the face with the hint-hammer.

The whole composition feels forced, almost like a final exam entry from a film student with a multi-million dollar budget. Joe Wright obviously knew how to do these stylistic devices, but not how to incorporate them with subtlety. The over-the-top artsyness kills a lot of the sympathy one develops for the characters and their story, since the plot really is brilliant.

Lastly the ending. it is another hammer-to-the-face moment. Out of nowhere it hits you and confronts you with something nobody would see coming, but it is not a clever move, but another sloppish use of a stylistic device, the "unexpected twist". Usually the twist is at least somewhat hinted at as not to leave the audience with a "WTF" on their lips. Atonement doesn't and thus has said expression written all over its ending. Not that it does not make sense, it does, but why couldn't you at least build a tiny little frame for the audience to drop back to?

All in all the movie is one to be loved and hated at the same time. The story and characters are well written, the scenes and production design looks accurate and leaves the impression of 40's and 50's war movies, which has become rare these days. The music itself is brilliant too, but the whole composition feels forced in and out.

Thus, I give this film a 6 out of 10. Big potential, but a lot of it lost through wanting and trying more than competence necessitated.