I should start this by saying, I go through phases. Obviously. Rather, more particularly, phases with "leading ladies". I used to dislike Gwyneth Paltrow. I don't know her, but I knew I didn't care for her too much. And I'm sure that stemmed from the whole engaged-to-Brad-Pitt stage that she went through and I disliked her for. But as soon as that relationship dissolved, my disinclination subsided. In fact, there may have been an inclination at one point. So as the cycle would have it, the interest in her ebbed and flowed. I feel that same way with Keira Knightley.
So I judged her. For being "cute". For being somewhat brazen. For being thin. The perception of beauty is entirely in the eye of the beholder. I don't find her gorgeous but I app
reciate her non-mainstream looks. And for someone who is so decidedly chosen as an "it" girl, she has a set of balls on her. I suppose that comes from a life of relative ease. I can't very well blame her for being thin anymore than I can my mother for being neurotic. We are who we are. She just happens to be a rail. And I'm hip-y.
I guess it amounts to envy. I envy the easiness of their lives. Misfortune is what happens to the people who go to see their films. But that is unfair, but nonetheless the feeling I have. It's like when life gives them a crate of lemons, they have a chef who comes to the rescue and makes a very glorious balance of sweet and tangy lemonade. Maybe with a little brown sugar. Marinates a 4 oz salmon steak with a little lemon juice, salt, freshly ground pepper and some honey. Then follows it up with a lightly gilded piece of lemon meringue pie. They get a fucking meal and the peon gets a fucking crate of bruised lemons. But I digress.
I say all of this because it leads to my perceptions of Atonement. I have the book. I have not read the book. It started out as the chosen novel from the first inception
of the book club (I am, in fact, one of those nerds). We all bought it. I read the first line and then promptly put it down. I didn't know if I was ready for that kind of commitment. And from what I gather, it buys you drinks, takes you out dancing, says all the right things, does all the right things and then asks you to marry it. I'm just trying to have fun.
So it sits, on my book shelf, along with a bevy of other books I haven't finished reading but really mean to.
Hesitation. Initially I was against the film. I didn't like the idea of the remake of Pride and Prejudice. That was just so offensive to my being. I still don't get it. I boycotted it completely. Then my friend "William" mentioned that it was good. You would like it. I rented it. I didn't like it. I don't think it was Keira Knightley's fault.
Directed by the same man, Atonement is stylistically a very similar film. I saw shades of P&P. Gloriously vivid backdrops to complete misunderstandings. The exteriors were beautifully shot. The colors, sumptuous. And in fairness, I didn't completely hate the structure. But as I have not read the book, have no idea whether this is a deviation or not. Keira Knightley played her part. I know the pain. How can you forgive what you can't forget? I could almost want the character of Robbie to be my soul mate. But through all of this, there was a certain tediousness that I just couldn't shake. Some scenes, I understand from a storytelling point, and even from a director's point, just seemed to last an eternity. Perhaps this is because the book is so dense.
I didn't hate it. Briony is a right twat. Which is so perfect. I wanted to slap her for her ignorance. Saoirse Ronan played that part wonderfully. And to think, she's not even a Brit. Well done. The beginning was so much stronger than the end. But sometimes I think that is the curse of the 120 minute film.
It ebbed. And it flowed.
