When I watched this movie last night I couldn't help but get a little paranoid that during production of this film my brain was secretly harvested for the visual memories of my reading experience, which were then transmogrified into celluloid. My name should have appeared somewhere in the credits, in fact. It was more or less EXACTLY as I had pictured it (except for some of the more random war scenes, which were scenes I probably had skimmed over in the book anyway.)Here's what else I'd like to say about this film:
Barring the occasional exposed brains, just about every frame of this movie could be hung on your wall as a gorgeous piece of art.
Bathing caps really ought to come back in Vogue. I think I'll start painting my fingernails blood red.
I, too, would throw myself into a river in the hopes of James McAvoy coming to my rescue. He could break my vase any day. Or write me unexpectedly obscene letters.
I'm so glad that I still enjoy Keira Knightley and that she hasn't started doing Estee Lauder perfume commercials with puppies.
It's good to see Gina McKee (a.k.a. Irene Forsythe), if only briefly.
I evidently mispronounced Briony's name when I was reading it.
While is wasn't my FAVORITE. FILM. EVER., it didn't disappoint. The first half most definitely trumps what follows, but I think I'd probably say the same thing about the book. If Andrew Davies is Romancing the Tome's patron saint, I would definitely have to say that [Atonement director] Joe Wright is being fast-tracked for canonization.
I'm looking forward to discussing this with you at Christmas. I left the movie thinking you would hate it, mostly because you hated The English Patient so much.
ReplyDeleteI loved the first half but thought the second half was garbage. Actually, I take that back--I really, really disliked the long 25 minute continuous war shot. It felt melodramatic and gratuitous. And that was the beginning of the end for me.
Weird, yes? Usually we're on the same page on stuff.
Well, it's quite possible that during the second half I was still in a catatonic state of covetousness over that stunning green dress.
ReplyDeleteYep...hated "The English Patient" and that stupid "End of the Affair." You're right...I AM surprised I liked this one.
That dress was gorgeous. I covet it as well.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this movie from start to finish. The beginning really captured the tension of he first half of the book incredibly well. I actually thought the continuous war shot was amazing--it seemed to me to really humanize the soldiers and there something beautiful about it. James McAvoy was fantastic.
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