Scott Should Atone For “Atonement”
I’m getting a little annoyed with movie critics whose main beef with “Atonement” is that it is not a sufficient adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel of the same name. The latest to moan about this supposed fault is A.O. Scott in the New York Times, who writes that the film is “an almost classical example of how pointless, how diminishing, the transmutation of literature into film can be.” This from a man who thinks that the enjoyable enough “Juno” is a near masterpiece. If you’re allergic to British period films, by all means give “Atonement” a pass. But if you like being swept away by the love-and-war stories, by all means book your seats now. For good or ill, most people who see the movie never will have read the novel, and thus not be burdened by the need to compare.
