Atonement (2007, Wright)

I liked how the film weaved some difficult themes (imagination & storytelling, WW2, how prejudices influence the truth, the perceived impunity of childish acts), but most of all for taking our expectations of what we would normally expected to be a period piece and then breaking it down into something very relevant and unanticipated. The film is also very lovely to look at. I didn't mind the romance, there was very little of it, and it served a deeper purpose - to sell its tale of morality and human guilt. My only complaint has to be the tacked on ending, it was probably unnecessary to show us an aftermath conclusion, which seemed very much like an afterthought. The film might have worked better without it, not sure if it was part of the original novel, thought this is very likely. The tracking shot was, yes, marvelous, saw it twice! But, unlike how it was used in "Children of men" (to create urgency, to put us in the middle of a very dangerous situation and leave us there helpless), I'm not sure what purpose it served here.

Full marks to Dario Marianelli for hands down what is the best score of the year (fusing piano strokes with....typewriter keys, ingenious!).

Rating: 4/5

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