Atonement

They just don't make period pieces like the old Merchant-Ivory films anymore-- and, as it turns out, that's just fine, so long as we have visionary directors like Joe Wright, who, with just two films under his belt, has laid convincing claim to the Merchant-Ivory mantle-- not because he makes period piece films that immitate the style of those films, but, rather, because he makes great movies that capture the literary faithfulness and precision with the manners and language of eras past that characterized classics like A Room With a View. His films are literary, subtle, and elegant, but never stuffy or overly calculated; his whirlwind, Cliff Notes take on Pride and Prejudice is a film of such humor and heart that even the most staunch defenders of total literary fidelity were won over by its ravishing romance. And now, with Atonement, Wright finds himself on the forefront of modern-day filmmakers.

An adaptation of Ian McEwan's dense, detailed novel, and set in a stuffy English country manor in the days leading up to World War II, Atonement is a movie that should have collapsed under its own weight; instead, thanks in large part to the light touch of Joe Wright, it's a powerfully erotic tale of love and loss, art and sexuality, betrayal and redemption. Even if its tone is a bit darker than that of Pride and Prejudice, it's still vibrant and unpredictable in its mix of humor and gravity, and its romance burns even hotter.

It's a film of considerable style-- colorful, very visual in its storytelling; expect awards for its immaculate costume, set, and art design-- but it's also an astounding feat of craft; Keira Knightley is smarter and sexier than she's ever been, and James McAvoy shows subtlety and class, sinking his teeth into a complicated role. Saoirse Ronan is astonishing in a role that calls for a subtle mix of wide-eyed wonder and just a bit of malice. And Christopher Hampton's screenplay sets the bar for smary, savvy literary adaptation, taut and efficient without sacrificing any of the nuance or spirit of the novel.

And it's a remarkable work of art, driven by the power of words and meditating on the relationship between mercy and truth, between art and redemption.

It adds up to a film that is one of the most entertaining of the year, but also one of the most artful, and one of the most exemplary in its craft. It's not to be missed, and it makes the next film from Joe Wright something to be really excited about.