This green dress image is memorable. . . the color, the style, the elegance.. . . the passion.

I discovered this British period  film based on Ian Mc Ewan’s book of  a wealthy British family set at their  countryside estate circa 1935.  The story continues  through scenes of the World War II battle for  Dunkirk  to the closing of the 20th century. Karen Knightly and James McAvoy have strong chemistry that easily  lasts throughout the lengthy story.

The film was released in 2007 but I found it on the TV Fire Stick last night and was held  spellbound. Not only is it visually strong  with  the wide slow-shots , it touches a place of reality in the themes. Love, lies, sex, class and the  power of words. Briony, Keira’s younger jealous sister utters a lie that changes all their lives forever.

If you have either seen the play Doubt or the film of the same name, you might agree with me  in that  there is a  similarity between these  two.  Doubt is the feeling  we  have is to whether something is the truth , or is just a mistake or did it mean something else.  It is a startling realization.  We are usually committed that something is true if we see  it with our eyes. Is it though?   I am reminded in that the police says witnesses  rarely give  the same account of an accident, though both were there.

Atonement begins and ends with words and the power they hold over life. . . true  . . .   mistaken or . . . . lies.

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV) The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit