Atonement

Well, let me say this.  I saw it with my Mother, and she cried (not a lot, but still).  It was a great movie, and I completely see why it was nominated for an Oscar. 

It was deeply tragic and had a fantastic cast. The costumes were fantastic.  I enjoyed it very much. 

If you want to take your Mother to a movie, I highly recommend this one. 

EDIT: Eliz Weighs In

If you know me then you know this movie has my name written all over it (Yes, my real name is Atonement). It’s British, it’s a period piece, it’s got James McAvoy. But a funny thing happened in the movie theater. This movie let me down.

There wasn’t too much wrong with it. As I first started watching, I was thinking, ‘Hey, maybe Kiera Knightly is a good acctress.’ But then there was a bit of mel-o-drama. Ugh. Excuse me while I wipe this emoting off my sweater.

No, there was some good direction; long takes, a badass tracking shot on the beach (which was handled a little clumsily as to draw attention to itself, a bit distracting), some interesting angle choices. But the director also gets the blame in the end for not demanding more. The film is gorgeous. I loved the young Briony. I liked the way transitions in time were handled. I thought the adaptation was handled really well (as the book is a mostly interior one). But the book makes you believe and the movie just does not.

Don’t get me wrong. It was a good movie. Top 5 of the year? (as implied by being as Oscar pic) – Nope.

You really aren’t asked to feel because you’re not too heavily invested as a viewer. I watched a story unfold. I was not wrapped up in the story. I don’t want mawkish but if I’ve given you 2 hours, I want to care. A little.

I just feel that this movie has been made dozens of times already and others more successfully.