Yes it has an atypical non-James Horner score, odd pacing and pretty costumes. As far as the acting, no one really impressed me, as they really did not have a lot to do. I mean the performances were fine just a lot of sighing and staring and kissing with Keira and James McAvoy.
First it is a really slow Forresteresque type English countryside piece, then some hateful little moppet rears her ugly, lying head to cast ruin on those around her and proving that pre-pubescent girls are EVIL. Then it is a war story, and then love story, and no wait war, and then finally the grown moppet-now old woman tells the truth.
Like enough already, the director tried to blend too many genres and I do not think he did even one exceptionally well. Yes the DP and Cinematographer did nice jobs, easy to put a pretty costume on Keira Knightly, war is dirty and smoky, unfulfilled love and longing are sad and beautiful. Just too art house trying way too hard to be this deep love story chick flick.
Smells like: burning ruins, cloying perfume and too much of both.