Since I’m not really into reading a lot of fiction, I only encountered the name Ian McEwan when I grabbed my copy of Richard Dawkins The God Delusion. As you would expect, Dawkins’ book is more a cerebral book that buttresses Atheism and is nothing like McEwan’s most distinguished work to date Atonement. Apparently, McEwan and Dawkins are close friends thanks to their affiliation with the British Humanist Society – an organization that is committed to freedom of belief and speech along with the end to the privileged position of religion in law, education, broadcasting and wherever else it occurs. So further point out the obvious here, McEwan is a humanist. I’ve more or less referred this label as Atheism with a social conscience on a previous entry written ages ago.
Now that my emotional and ideological investment and affinity to the movie is clear, let me discuss how I felt about the movie in general. From the beginning of the film, it’s clear that the people behind it wanted the music to melt into the seams of the story. It was very entertaining take on how sound could be used more effectively in a movie. Instead of being just a backdrop to the scene’s mood, the music and ambient sounds phase in and out of the active scenes as the actors deliver their lines. That attention to detail attracted me to the movie. Keira Knightley was breath-taking in all her scenes. Her face was so well-featured in the film that you would almost forget that a) she has no bust to speak of or b) she probably weighs 50 pounds soaking wet. James McAvoy was similarly very convincing in his role. As a man bursting with optimism and well, virility directed to Keira Knightley’s character, McAvoy turns in a favorable performance worthy of a few raves here and there.
Without giving away too much, I think the story was both ironically romantic, yet still unapologetically cynical. I personally think it’s Atheism in disguise (haha) but if you were to ask me, people who are expecting a romantic story will be terribly disappointed with how this movie’s resolution. The story is strong enough to make you feel very profound emotions. I literally lost my cool with a few scenes in the movie because you just couldn’t believe that certain things were happening beyond the major characters’ control.
I’ll be honest though, a lot of my friends who watched it didn’t exactly like it.
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Interesting info. now that i know that the movie has atheistic undertones, I’ll watch it
I haven’t even started reading the book! Well, this just means I’ve got to get going and finish it before seeing the film.
Thanks for the tip Benj. I think from the preview, there’s so much uncertainty about the film’s twist so its ending will be disappointing if it is too predictable. I hope to get to watch it soon.
Atheism in disguise? Then again, you’ll probably see what you want to see :p
Count me in to those who actually liked the movie – even if it was a trudgingly slow effort.
Go tell us if you do find them.
You didn’t see the atheist undertones?!
How the truth is not as optimistic as you thought?
Ian McEwan is a damn good novelist. The movie is nowhere near Ian’s book, but it has its moments, like the war beach scene, which is an amazing technical feat.
Speaking of Dawkins, have you heard of expelled from Expelled?
Yeah, I heard about it from FriendlyAtheist. Funny stuff. hehe
It’s vintage lies.
I try not to connect religion with the way I enjoy movies, thank you very much.
It may have been a well painted backdrop, only to tear it down at the end, but that’s what stories are.