atonement

I saw Atonement over the weekend. More than anything, it was a feast for the eyes, yet it missed its mark as being the heart-wrenching story it was trying to be.

I find that most films could remedy the problem of viewer ambivalence - which is what Atonement suffers from - by spending more time with the characters, just one or two more scenes; it seems so simple and I don't know why directors don't do it.

Yes, a filmmaker can take many shortcuts that the audience will follow without a hitch, but there is only so much shorthand you can use when developing a character and/or a relationship. And perhaps these precious scenes are being cut in the editing process, I don't know.

Keira Knightley was visually stunning, but her character seemed flat. I still can't decide if I can't stand James McAvoy or if I really like him, but I will say that he was perfect for this role. I loved the use of sound as a transition and the quick back and forth of time sequences.

Overall, I liked it – you should see it. It was much better than The Hulk which I had the misfortune of seeing last weekend.