As for No Country for Old Men, I think the message is even more obvious. It's not just about good vs. evil, but ultimately how unfair the world is, and that we're trapped in something we have no control over, violent, ruthless — and we're helpless. Even the good guys can't do anything about it. It's indeed no country for old men.
As for Atonement, obviously there's a great sadness associated with the war and suffering, deaths, and loss of innocence. But at the same time, I can't stop thinking of the central story: how a lie, however innocuous and righteous it may seem at the time, no matter how justified one feels about telling it, can indeed be wrong and can send people to war and peril, and ruin lives along the way. And how can we atone for that? Would we sink so deeply into that hole of denial that we just can't dig ourselves out? And even if we recognize the original lie, do we just shrug it off and say, "Well, the harm's already done. What can we do about it?" Or should we try our best to atone for it, to fix the wrongdoing? (You do know what I am talking about, right, as far as current affairs are concerned?)
Interesting times, interesting stories, and interesting connections, with three sets of filmmakers at the top of their game making something entertaining, thought-provoking, and relevant.
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