My Thumb Way Up: Atonement

Starring: James McAvoy, Keira Knightly, Romola Garai, Saoirse Ronan
Extended Cameo: Vanessa Redgrave

Atonement spans several decades, starting in 1935 with 13-year-old Briony and her family living a life of wealth and privilege. Robbie, the educated son of the family's housekeeper, carries a torch for Briony's older sister Cecilia. After Robbie and Cecilia declare their love, Briony interferes with an accusation that changes the course of all their lives.

The story is told in typical British period-piece fashion, at a meandering pace and slowly revealing the details along the way. This is not suitable for kids because it has adult themes, language, and disturbing war imagery.

I had an unusual reaction while I watched the movie. I'm not sure if my experience is common, but it raised so many things within me that my mind raced from thought to thought, memory to memory. Rather like a long therapy session except I didn't say a word, only shed a few tears, and I saved $150.

I thought I'd break from my normal movie review format here and do something different since my thoughts aren't likely to be yours. A little stream of consciousness might be fun.

Things I Thought Of During The Movie
• I generally don't find British men attractive. And they're all uncut. I was drawn to the main character but not any of the others.
• My mother was six years old in 1935. This movie allowed me to visualize how the world was when she was young. Many of the stories she's told me, such as diving and swimming in their pond when she was young, and living in a dormitory at her first job at a hospital in southern Vermont, were brought to life.
• There was a time when everyone smoked. What a change from now, although I understand that most people still smoke in Asian countries.
• War isn't romantic. War is pain. War is senseless killing. War doesn't care if you're a good person or innocent. War is hell.
• My father was a true brave patriot, enlisting to fight in WWII, and spending many years serving with the U.S. Air Corps in Foggia, Italy. A year ago I bought a stone paver and had his name and service engraved on it. It was prominently placed among others as part of a new local veterans' memorial.
• Kids can say and do some damaging things because they don't understand the repercussions.
• Piglets are cute. Sows and boars, not so much.
• I'm really afraid of horses, but I don't want to see them killed.
• I can't believe I saw those Palestinians lifting a live cow over the barrier between Gaza and Egypt on the news this week.
• Is romance dead? Was it really better in the good old days?
• I haven't been in love in a really long time. I like being on a date with a new person I'm interested in, having a stomach full of butterflies because I really like him, and shyly touching hands or knees in a darkened theater. I wish things had worked out with Jack. I can't believe that was 12 years ago. It only lasted three months and my feelings were unrequited.
• I wish I could speak French.
• I hope I'm never in a fire.
• We used to have an old typewriter with a ribbon that needed to be wound tight. Mom was a stenographer and typist. Her steno pads used to look like hieroglyphics to me. It was exciting when we got our first electric typewriter.
• I love London.
• The film's main character has a mole on her cheek that is maintained across actresses as they play the character in different time periods. I have one a bit lower on my cheek. I wonder if others notice on me what I couldn't seem to take my eyes off of on the screen. I don't think mine is as large, raised, or prominent but one never really knows what people see when they look at you. (Now that I've written this, it's probably all you'll ever look at when you see me.)
• Life can really suck sometimes.
• When it's my time, I hope I go peacefully in my sleep.
• I didn't hear from my friends in London last year. I get a Christmas card at least. They work in the entertainment biz, routinely in the credits of major movies (Shakespeare In Love, The King and I, etc.) and BBC productions. I hope they're okay. I must get over to see them.
• The white cliffs of Dover really are white and magnificent. Only sole (fish) caught off that coast is accurately called Dover Sole...chances are what you get in a restaurant or supermarket is misrepresented/ mislabeled and isn't from Dover at all. It may not even be sole.

I thought of several incidences during my childhood that I have either blocked out or simply forgotten many of the details. I've considered finding a reputable hypnotherapist to uncover them. The portions I do remember aren't very traumatic but there is something nagging about them so there's more to those stories. Is my subconscious protecting me? Not sure. I seem to remember hurtful things in excruciating detail.

If you're looking for a film that has a powerful story, authentic acting, period setting, and the possibility of bringing up lots of thoughts within you, I'd recommend Atonement whole heartedly.
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