The Ultimate Girl Movie: A Review of Atonement

Disclaimer: I did not view this film to the end; I had to leave the theater to ice my knee. Furthermore, I watched it with my ex-girlfriend as sort of a last official date (we broke up the next day [fair warning, ladies!]). Therefore, my perception of the movie may be somewhat tainted. What the following review lacks in accuracy, I hope to make up for with entertainment.

I don't want to give away too much, but I will say this much: this film is absolutely full of sexual references and images, but without in the least bit being sexy. Indeed, it removes almost all hope of arousal by dropping the C-Bomb on numerous occasions (the C-Bomb is a word). And the flirting and foreplay is very difficult for a contemporary young man to appreciate, especially the epistolary flirtations. The closest thing we have, I suppose, is Facebook messaging, and even that is not good enough. In short, the romance of the film, from start to finish, does not resemble in any way the sort that the virile contributors to this blog know firsthand.

Another thing about the film, difficult to appreciate, is that the only sexual encounter between the two lovers for years is a period of intercourse lasting about 30 seconds and interrupted by a nosy child. They refer to it later as a momentous act. Perhaps in antiquity it could have such importance, but to a modern male viewer, it seems a flimsy basis for any continued love, more a reason to scorn the male protagonist of the film than sympathize with him.