I purposely read McEwan’s book right before seeing the movie and I’m glad I did. It helped to explain certain things about the film that I think would have left me at a loss. For example, the “flashbacks” seem to me to be not really flashbacks but rather episodes as Briony actually saw them and then how she later wrote about them, filling in details, dialogue, emotion, etc. Much of the dialogue was lifted straight from the book, which also helped me with some difficulties understanding the (perhaps mumbled?) British English. Also, since I was watching the movie on pay per view I rewatched some parts of it. I really think it’s a subtley complex film and could bear a number of “rewatchings”.

This movie is excellently directed and edited. In fact the editing is crisp and used intelligently to build the story. The flash-back scenes are well done and give good insights into alternative perspectives about what a child understands of complex adult relationships.

There are some serious flaws though. This film follows in the footsteps of other modern (or post-modern) films in that it seems to hold the audience at arms length. There is a clear distance between the story and the viewer that results in a lack of any feelings of compassion for the main characters.

The end feels like an anti-climax but the scenes with Vanessa Redgrave lift the film just at the right moment. She clearly shines as someone who knows the craft of acting inside out and for a brief moment you feel something for the story.

I will see any movie with Keira Knightley. She is amazing in this one and for the acting not just being a tough girl. While in general I don’t like English movies that plod along in a very British proper way, this one overcame that downside with the power of the characters. I don’t want to read the book as Ian writes way too British for me and I have been bored with his prior books. This movie is also the kind of thing the Academy will love, long epic love story performances. I expect nominations and a few awards. I rate 4 of 5 stars.

I thought Keira Knightly’s acting was bad – why does she always have to act like that.

I would have liked to see a more confident character – a sign that she matured during nursing.

Could Briney and her sister have had a closer bond to begin with that was then torn apart by what she did? I didn’t feel any sisterly love or understanding. Briney was of course the awkward child.

The rolling camera scene of the war beach must be memorable for a scene with so many extras….but wasn’t quite believable how they walked from the fields right onto the beach, and then the fields were nowhere to be scene, and the city with the ferris wheel was not that visible from the fields….

Good soundtrack.

I spent the first 30 minutes thoroughly confused… I spent the beginning of the second act almost bored… I spent the last half of the movie fascinated at the portrayal of the story. I loved the storytelling more than I loved the story. The process of telling the story, from the editing to the timeline, made such interesting comments on the impact of perspective and the delicate nature of reality.

This film is incredible – beautiful, well-written, and very affecting. The entire cinema was still at the end and reeling from the conclusion. Great acting from all the cast. The best new film I have seen this year.