“Atonement”: A heavy life like a dream

“Atonement”, released in 2008, is still admired by many fans.

This film is adapted from the work of the same name by the well-known British novelist Ian McEwan, directed by Joe Wright, director of “Pride & Prejudice”, starring James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, and Saoirse Ronan.

The film won a number of awards that year, and was selected as the top 10 best films of the year by multiple film critics associations.

“Atonement” has a delicate script, beautiful photography and appropriate soundtrack, plus the wonderful performances of various actors, stacking up a poignant story.

The narrative of fiction and reality, beautiful as a bubble-like phantom

The picture did not catch the eye. The sound of the typewriter came from the ear first, and then the Atonement appeared in the picture, the beginning of a typical text movie.

The writing can be realistic or fictitious, revealing the focus of the film.

The story can be illusory as a dream or cruel reality, depending on how the writer conceived it, just like a movie.

“Atonement” is drawn from a third perspective, which objectively describes the relationship and status of each character.

But beginning in the middle of the movie, the shots are mostly from Briony’s perspective.

And the beautiful summer scene in the painting makes people realize that the person who wrote the beginning is the youngest.

“Atonement” is a story that belongs to her memory, and memory is not 100% reality.

In the second half of “Atonement”, those beautiful visions about Cecilia and Robbie are actually Briony’s imaginary imagination, which is the only way she can atone for her sins.

The tragedy of all this began when Briony misjudged one thing.

Just like Mo’er who was implanted with an idea in his mind by Cobb in “Inception”, the obsession was lingering in his mind in the end.

Briony, who believes too much in his own memory, ignorantly amplifies this idea and personally contributes to an irreparable tragedy.

Follow “Pride & Prejudice” to the end and shoot a beautiful and sad beach paradise

“Pride & Prejudice” begins with a shot to the end, describing the heroine’s family and family members. That section should be one of the wonderful scenes.

In the “Atonement”, director Joe Wright once again took a perfect long shot.

Robbie arrived at the beach at the retreat point. It was not hope to win, but the gloomy sky enveloped him, and the beach was full of soldiers waiting to return home.

In a doomsday-like situation, the soldiers ran everywhere, and the horse fell as soon as the gunfire broke, and the soldiers on the ship who wanted to return home were stranded.

In the pavilion, there is a group of soldiers praising God, people’s chaotic emotions, and the Ferris wheel left in place.

Appears more hesitant and helpless.

The war in Robbie’s eyes is like a dream, so illusory and cruel.

And the silence that emerged from the chaos reminded me of the pilot played by Tom Hardy in “Dunkirk”.

The calm he had landed on the beach was a tranquility full of despair.

Unforeseeable sin, leaving a lifetime of repentance

The most exciting part of the whole movie is the scene where Briony confessed to his old age.

She talked about the book “Atonement” peacefully. Every time she paused, every time she looked, every time she held her breath, she made people feel the sin that was gradually released from her heart.

As Robbie said in the novel, he narrates the facts without rhyming and tricks.

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Just a few minutes of confession, the mood is so full, it is really convincing.

For Briony, writing this novel is not only a way of atonement, but also a debt to her sisters Cecilia and Robbie.

So in this book, Briony finally gave her sister and Robbie a happy ending. she says:

”I’d like to think this isn’t weakness or evasion, but a final act of kindness.”

For Briony, a happy ending is not an act of deceiving or satisfying self-fantasy, but giving Cecilia and Robbie a well-deserved happiness.

In reality, the two have never been to a beach hut with blue window frames in Cecilia’s mouth, a dream that can never be realized.

At least Briony, as the author, can leave the last goodness for them, and the sins borne by the three of them are left to Briony to continue to bear.