Atonement

I saw Atonement (2007) during its theatrical run and remember being disappointed. Rewatching it now, I'm more apt to be generous. Joe Wright's adaptation of a masterful Ian McEwan novel isn't perfect, but conveys McEwan's exploration of perception, guilt and creativity with striking clarity.

England in the mid-'30s. Precocious preteen Briony Tallis (Saorise Ronan) observes several incidents with her sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and servant Robbie (James McAvoy) that she interprets as sexual assaults instead of innocent flirtation. One night, someone molests Briony's friend Lola (Juno Temple) - an act Briony blames on Robbie. Robbie joins the BEF when World War II breaks out, getting caught up in the retreat to Dunkirk. Cecilia has become a nurse, pining for his return. Briony (now Romola Garai) also works as a nurse, realizing Robbie's innocence and hoping to right her mistakes.

Beneath Atonement's genteel trappings lies a disturbing character study. Briony dominates the film, a striking presence both physically and personally. She's a narcissist who enjoys the power to shape events. She finds an outlet in fiction but proves. A mix of honest misunderstandings and conscious desire (she entertains a crush on Robbie) makes her view Robbie as a deviant. Adult Briony still arrogates herself the right to "change" others, whether patients in a hospital ward or patch up Robbie and Cecilia's tattered romance. She views her writing as a "kindness," assuaging her guilt by creating a storybook ending for those she's wronged. It's a chilling portrait of literary "God complex" gone mad.

Understandably, writer Christopher Hampton downplays the expected class warfare themes. Robbie's basically a member of the family, with Cecilia's parents paying for his education. There are more pressing issues than Upstairs Downstairs drama. There's Morris (Benedict Cumberbatch), a charming chocolate maker who brings news of impending war; Lola, a precocious waif not so mature as she thinks; Robbie and Cecilia, initiating a tentative romance. But everything comes back to Briony, never realizing that her meddling carries actual consequences.

Wright's direction employs several neat tricks. Dario Marianelli's score brilliantly employs clacking typewriters, driving home the theme of someone writing events. Wright shows key events from Briony's perspective, before backtracking to show what "really" happened. This device could be hokey, but it's used sparingly enough to work. This also keeps us invested in Robbie and Cecilia's budding romance, unthinkable if either was a pervert. Robbie's fall from grace strikes a poignant note: his erstwhile benefactors turn on him, while Briony coldly observes. This ends a masterful opening hour on a perfect note.

Atonement stumbles afterwards. Wright encrusts his war scenes with David Lean grace notes, even borrowing imagery from Doctor Zhivago (a field of massacred children, Robbie's eyes illuminated by pinpricks of light), but everything seems rushed and perfunctory. The much-ballyhooed Dunkirk tracking shot is technically stunning, but really doesn't advance the film. Compared to the first hour's craftsmanship, Robbie's plight in France feels anemic, with the actual war kept off-screen and Robbie's squad mates (Daniel Maze and Nonso Azonie) barely ciphers. Worse, Cecelia all but vanishes, throwing the narrative off-balance.

Wright regains an even keel showing Briony's "penance" as a nurse. Briony struggles mightily to be practical, yet she can't sublimate her individuality to nursing - nor curb her desire to shape the lives of others. Accompanied by the gruesome sites of maimed Tommies, it's a striking sequence. The reveal of Lola's attacker proves less effective: given Wright's dual perspective trick elsewhere, it's an obvious cheat. But Wright delivers the finale with such gut-wrenching power that we forgive most of these faults. We just wish Atonement was half-an-hour longer to properly flesh out some story points.

Top acting honors go to the Briony Trio. Saorise Ronan got a well-earned Oscar nod, revealing Briony's studied arrogance and childish vulnerability. With her piercing blue eyes and impassive demeanor, she's a striking screen presence. Romola Garai ably handles the thankless chore of anchoring Atonement's middle third; she gets one standout sequence, comforting a dying French soldier (Jeremie Renier). Finally, Vanessa Redgrave closes things out with a heart-wrenching monologue. It's one of the best intergenerational acting teams in memory, each leaving an indelible impression.

James McAvoy gives a powerful turn as a smart but perpetually frustrated youth. Despite being periodically tapped as the "next big thing," McAvoy's career hasn't really caught fire - though his role in X-Men: First Class leaves us hopeful. Keira Knightley is tolerable, despite employing clipped verbiage that makes her sound like a tetanic Celia Johnson. Benedict Cumberbatch (War Horse) makes the most of brief screen time; Juno Temple (The Dark Knight Rises) plays Briony's unfortunate friend.

Atonement rewards multiple viewings. Despite occasional missteps, it's a unique, deeply affecting drama with fascinating thematic material. Maybe reading McEwan's novel since my first go-around helped me appreciate it better. It certainly couldn't hurt.