Atonement...I've got nothing funny here.

Just a quick overview of Atonement: Fledgling writer Briony Tallis, as a 13-year-old, irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit.

Think you've got the movie in a nutshell now? Yes and no. Special warning: In this review I may give too much up. I'm sorry, this time it can't be helped. I will dutifully stay away from the ending and any major points.

This film has garnered seven Golden Globe Nominations. 7. With a capital S, friends. Now, before you become amazed at that number let us remember that the Golden Globe awards are governed by the Hollywood Foreign Press. What am I saying? Let's save that for the final paragraph.

For Atonement we have director Joe Wright teaming up again with Keira Knightley for their second period piece. Just a few years ago this duo gave us the latest version of Pride and Prejudice, which for my money is the best version to date. Personally, I think Wright should have been nominated for a Best Director Oscar in 2005.

In this newest offering we tackle the issues of class, money, jealousy, love, lust, rape, morality...I could keep going but this is only a short column. This movie has all these things in spades, there is no subtlety anywhere; the emotions are on the surface. There is no denying anything, the director wants you to feel everything. He wants you to feel the selfishness and petty jealousy of youth. Feel the lust and desperate craving of blooming adulthood, separated by generations of social class. Feel the crush of broken dreams, broken hearts...hope.

But, it's not enough.

We are bombarded with all this emotion, we get layers upon layers of setup. Then, just as we are getting to the meat of the story, the emotion melts away. We are left with interludes. The layers disappear. Now each character has one purpose that drives them, it's the means to an ending. Some may say, "That's just right, that's just what you are supposed see and feel." Fine. But I felt that it wasn't enough. I wanted each of them to show me more suffering, more despair. More adversity to be overcome, instead of just going through the motions.

I just needed more substance. Now, to the performances:

I find no fault with any body of work from the actors and Keira Knightley is once again poised to get an Academy nomination. I don't feel like she stretched to do much in this movie, it was all well within her grasp, but it didn't disappoint in any way. Her snobbery knows no bounds and the collapse of her wall was well acted. Much like her brilliant performance in Pride and Prejudice, but just shy of that level overall. When we reach the second half of the film, I feel like we lose her. This is what I was pointing to previously. In turning from her disapproving and accusing family to pine for her lost love, she just goes through the motions. Is this what the writers and directors want? Possibly, for the audience to feel the solitude and forlorn, but why must the story suffer for it? In my humble opinion, it does suffer.

Well. James McAvoy certainly has a nice healthy string of movies going his way recently. It's easy to see why. Click on his name back there to see his IMDB.com page. His Robbie Turner in this film is a spectacular role for him, with great range. Bold and assertive, despite being the son of the hired help. Perhaps needing to be put in his place, but knowing when to find that place. Accepted on some level, but just shy of real "class". With a bright future supplied by the head of the house as benefactor, you get the impression that perhaps he has overstepped slightly. Which makes it all the worse as it is pulled from his grasp by a misunderstanding and jealous 13 year old girl. You feel his life slip away as he is taken from his future; His own boldness partly responsible. James McAvoy deserves his forthcoming nomination. Robbie Turner's story does not. Because, as we see him released on condition of serving in the war, we lose the fight. We see a man trudging across France to rejoin his lost love. The problem remains; walking through the motions. I miss the adversity that was shown us in Saving Private Ryan. We see a man walking back to his love, we don't see what it takes to get there.

Finally the part of Briony, portrayed by three separate actresses. Saoirse Ronan plays age 13, Romola Garai age 18 and Vanessa Redgrave the elder Briony. This is the one character that on every level is perfection. All the way through we see how this girl suffers from her mistake. This one facet is completely fleshed out. Nothing is left behind and we have this one example of what the rest should have been. In reality, the story isn't about two lovers as we have been led to believe but rather this one little girl. The movie is titled Atonement. Here is your story. Not the above trappings. Follow her story, feel her pain; though she doesn't want your pity. Saoirse has been nominated for a supporting actress golden globe. She deserves it. Vanessa Redgrave is wonderful in her few moments on screen. We see too little of Ms. Redgrave these days.

As a final parting shot, take heed of the "R" rating on this one. The gore is not as plentiful as was in Saving Private Ryan, but it is as shocking. Also be warned that a certain word, the worst thing a woman can be called, is used. Insanely used. In 10 foot letters across the screen. You are warned.

Deserving special mention is this: pay special attention to the scene on the beach at Dunkirk. This is done in one nonstop, 5 1/2 minute tracking shot. Absolutely stunning, imagine what it must have taken to plan and master this long shot with a thousand extras, on sand, and the choreography of it all. I'm just saying.

When I sat down to write this I was determined to give it a mid-range score. I've talked myself into giving it 3.25 four letter words out of 5 four letter words. On a good day I might throw on another half point. It's not a bad movie, it's a good movie and the ending is worth catching a weekend matinee showing. The problem is, I just don't think it's heads above anything else out there right now. As for the 7 Golden Globe nominations, it's the Hollywood Foreign Press and this is the only foreign film showing in big release right now.

I'm just saying.

Elijah