One of the hyped-up films of the year – BAFTA Best Film winner etc. I somehow expected more. There are many plusses. Dario –Martanelli’s music is a very good accompaniment to the film, we have the usual intelligent Christopher Hampson script, great photography and lush landscapes. The scene of the Dunkirk beach is very well constructed and the acting and choice of how to film a scene marks Toby Wright as a very astute and talented director. And yet …at times I felt the film moved too slowly and at times things were almost too calculated. Undoubtedly, a very classy film in a long line of period pieces that the Brits do so well, but not a film that I would rate a classic. On the acting front, James McAvoy shows why he is so highly regarded. He extracts the nuances from his character that I feel Keira Knightley is less successful at. She has enormous presence and great beauty and is perhaps a little too 21st century. You can’t fault the accent and the like but this is not such a memorable character. Saoirse Ronan as the 13 year-old Briony is a delight and has a superb face for the camera. Romola Garai is also very good as Briony at 18 and it is always a treat to have Vanessa Redgrave in a film and she does not let us down here. A good score then and maybe I will consider it more favourably in future.
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