Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. I’m a little behind on my movie reviews and next week I’ll be out of contact, so I’m going to do my best to pump out a few reviews before the craziness of BNAT sweeps me up.

I figured I’d start on ATONEMENT and the work on THE GOLDEN COMPASS, THE BUCKET LIST and JUNO tonight and tomorrow. The below review doesn't really go into any spoilers you can't see in the trailer, but I went ahead and put a spoiler box on it in case you really want to be super fresh.

Who would have figured the word “cunt” would be such a crucial and prominent component to a classy period film like ATONEMENT? I sure didn’t, but I’m happy it is. I always like surprises, especially vulgar ones.

The flick is about a young man who is a hard worker, is charming and intelligent and who also happens to be wrongly accused of a crime. James McAvoy plays the young man who is in love with the daughter of a very wealthy family, played by Keira Knightley. The love is reciprocated, but is misunderstood by Knightley’s character’s little sister, Briony (Saorise Ronan). When a horrible crime happens on the grounds, Briony’s opinion of the young man leads directly to his implication in the crime.

I don’t know if Knightley’s just really good at making period dialogue sound natural and unforced or if director Joe Wright (who helmed Knightley’s previous costume drama, the surprisingly good PRIDE & PREJUDICE) knows how to guide her to do so, but I’m becoming a big fan of Knightley in these period films.

She’s radiant in ATONEMENT, a classic beauty whose attractiveness rests not just in her looks, but in her personality. She’s a real woman, not a caricature that’s just there to be eye-candy for the audience.

Then there’s James McAvoy, arguably the protagonist of the movie. I’ve liked McAvoy as an actor, of course, but his work in this was still surprising to me. His character is at once very simple and very layered. You know this guy. He’s a good person, pure of heart, but always true to himself. But within that familiar frame of a character McAvoy injects his own quiet charm and naturalism so you don’t feel like you’re retreading any number of similar “good guy accused” characters.

One of the reasons I was really down for checking out this movie was to see what young Saorise Ronan could do. Ronan was cast as the lead for Peter Jackson’s THE LOVELY BONES. I can now see what Jackson and Co. saw in this young actress. Her eyes are incredible, showing a surprising level of maturity for film acting. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul and they say that because of people like Ronan.

There’s a polished fakeness to many child actors, but Ronan’s talent is that she can express her thoughts subtly with her eyes. Her line delivery is well done, too, but seeing the thought process deep in an actor’s eyes is what makes film an art form. That’s the edge it has over theater.

Rounding out the cast are more great performances from Brenda Blethyn (as McAvoy’s kind-hearted mother), Romola Garai (as 18 year old Briony) and Vanessa Redgrave (as the elderly Briony). Each brings a bit of personality to the film, especially Blethyn who I really love as a character actress. She has very limited screentime here, but makes the most of it.

I have to underline the spectacular score by Dario Marianelli. I know some people don’t like a score that stands out, but I love a big score that I notice. I’m really damn tired of atmospheric score. I like a score that really propels the movie and Marianelli’s score is one of those.

He uses all sorts of non-traditional instruments, including typewriters, to drive the music and it’s a fascinating choice. Not only is it fascinating, but it’s actually really good music. So, kudos to Mr. Marianelli.

Also props have to go to Seamus McGarvey (WORLD TRADE CENTER, HIGH FIDELITY), the director of photography, for filming a beautiful flick. Ranging from quiet manor settings to war torn France, the film always looks gorgeous.

I don’t know if I have any more to say about this flick, other than I really enjoyed it. And it uses the C-word to awesome effect, so that automatically puts it in the running for Best Picture in my book. If only I was running the Academy…

Alright, so I’m going to try to knock out JUNO, THE KITE RUNNER, THE BUCKET LIST and THE GOLDEN COMPASS here in short order. Keep a look out for those reviews!

-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com