Law & Order (TV Series) Atonement (1996) User Reviews

Michael Imperioli Deludes Himself

[kdspringer-72759 · 8/10 · 29 February 2020]

Without rehashing the entire plot, the basic idea here is that a limo driver named Stivers, portrayed by Michael Imperioli pre-Sopranos, has a thing for hot model Sharon Lasko. However the feelings are not reciprocal, and the police and DA think that bitter jealousy drove him to murder her.

Or did it? Stay tuned for the late twist.

But what really makes this episode interesting to me is a throwaway bit of dialog between McCoy and Kincaid about 45 minutes in. From their first introduction, L&O was always fairly coy about the relationship between McCoy and Kincaid, and to me it only became explicit five episodes after this one, in that great episode "Aftershock" where Kincaid is killed by a drunk driver.

However, about 45 minutes into this episode we get the following dialog which is easy to miss or not properly appreciate:

Kincaid: Well, I think her behavior with Soames should have made things pretty clear even to Johnny Stivers. McCoy: Men have a way of deluding themselves. Kincaid: I hope you're not speaking from personal experience. McCoy: Not recent. I hope.

And there we have it. Combined with the looks between McCoy and Kincaid during this exchange, it takes very little reading between the lines to get the point that they are in a relationship (something which would be confirmed once and for all five episodes later).

Only after having watched every episode in this series more than once have I finally appreciated how often L&O dropped little breadcrumbs like this about the personal lives of the characters. And since L&O took pains in trying to keep the "law and order" prominent and the private lives way in the background, each of these little crumbs is that much more precious. This one is a good one. And IMO, L&O was on a hot streak about this time, too - from this episode right on through the end of season 6.

Recommended.

Star Struck.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 23 December 2012]

A beautiful young model (not the "ugly old model" that Briscoe jokingly references) is found with her head bashed in and the detectives begin following the threads through several dead ends to the real murderer. Michael Imperioli plays the limo driver who is so hopelessly in love with the model, who is just using him as a source for cocaine, that he's forced by passion and by circumstance to kill her.

A slight problem I had with the story is that Michael Imperioli doesn't look particularly homely -- not as uninteresting in appearance as he's described by everyone as being -- although his job as a limousine driver is definitely working against his sex appeal. Imperioli is dark and has even features. He's a little shorter than the other principles but Alan Ladd was short too. So was Mickey Rooney, and he married Ava Gardner.

The plot itself isn't outstanding, meaning that it's up to par for this above-average series. Suspects and relatives come and go. But the idea of a pointless, desperate, hopeless love for someone who is unattainable ought to strike a resonant chord in many of us. You know, worshiping from afar? (I wonder whatever happened to Kathy Hall, that cheerleader in my high school. Oh, those pom poms!)

It's interesting too because the victim, the model, is described at first as ambitious but otherwise perfectly normal. It's only in the course of the story's development that her bitchy and dissolute qualities become apparent. I appreciate that kind of very human ambiguity. It makes for a more mature product rather than a cartoon of good and evil.

Compensating for love

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 4 March 2021]

Season 6 has been somewhat inconsistent. There are several fantastic episodes and there are no real misfires. Not every episode has entirely worked though as there was for instance a brief three episode slump in the season's middle period, having good noble intentions but with flawed execution of particularly difficult issues. All the episodes have been at least watchable, thanks to the regulars being so good, some terrific guest stars and the character interaction being terrific at its very best.

"Atonement" is not Season 6 at its best. It is also not it at its worst. It is one of those episodes of 'Law and Order' that is somewhere in the middle if anything. It is a mostly good effort with lots of great things, but at the same time there was room for "Atonement" to have been better than it was and it is a bit on the ordinary side. The concept didn't sound very exciting and while there are many 'Law and Order' episodes that do things special with basic concepts "Atonement" isn't quite one of them.

Will start with what "Atonement" does well in, and those good things outweigh the bad. The photography and such as usual are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. The direction has some nice tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way. The acting is without complaint as well, with the best performance coming from Michael Imperioli. Appropriate seeing as his character is the one that "Atonement" mostly centres around.

It is a very nicely scripted episode as well, and much of the story compels. With a victim that becomes a lot more interesting than she seemed at first, when we see her in a different light later. The character interaction between the characters, especially Briscoe and Curtis and McCoy and Kincaid is beautifully done.

However, "Atonement" is another episode to have a somewhat rushed and over-crowded ending, from trying to cram in too much with not near enough time to explore it. The truth compels but is again needed more time for the viewer to digest it, it's far from simple.

Despite the story compelling, there is also nothing earth-shattering or unique about it and it could have done with more tension.

Concluding, good but not great. 7/10

What he did for love.

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 27 August 2020]

Michael Imperioli who later on didsome temporary duty as a detective on Law AndOrder with Dennis Farina plays a lovesick chauffeur who is accused of murdering a Cindy Crawford/Cheryl Tiegs like model.

We only see pictures of the deceased but she was a beauty and one big party animal. Only indirectly but it was her partying habits that got her killed.

Whatever else she was surely out of Imperioli's league. He could and did do anything he thought would win her.

You hve to see this one to believe it.