In 1935, 13-year-old fledgling writer Briony Tallis and her family live a life of wealth and privilege in their enormous mansion. On the warmest day of the year, the country estate takes on an unsettling hothouse atmosphere, stoking Briony’s vivid imagination. Robbie Turner, the educated son of the family’s housekeeper, carries a torch for Briony’s headstrong older sister Cecilia. Cecilia, he hopes, has comparable feelings; all it will take is one spark for this relationship to combust. When it does, Briony–who has a crush on Robbie–is compelled to interfere, going so far as accusing Robbie of a crime he did not commit. Cecilia and Robbie declare their love for each other, but he is arrested–and with Briony bearing false witness, the course of three lives is changed forever. Briony continues to seek forgiveness for her childhood misdeed. Through a terrible and courageous act of imagination, she finds the path to her uncertain atonement and to an understanding of the power of enduring love.

2007 Golden Globe Award Winner

2007 Golden Globe Winner and 2007 Oscar Academy Award Nominee (at 24 Jan 2008). Besides this shinny background, “Atonement” is attracting a lot of people by its brilliant story and delightful music.

“Atonement” is a 2007 film adaptation of Ian McEwan’s critically acclaimed novel of the same name. As the opening film of the 2007 Venice International Film Festival, Atonement made Wright at the age of 35 the youngest director ever to open this prestigious festival.

Its not an easy movie honestly, if you go in expecting something light hearted and easy to digest then you will leave the cinema feeling very cheated.
The storyline is brilliant and it is where the film holds most of its impact. Essentially the film is about a lie that Briony (Saoirse Ronan) tells, and how it affects the lives of her, Cecilia (Keira Knightley), and most importantly of all, Robbie (James McAvoy).

The performances are all spectacular. Keira Knightly is an odd actress, while she proved herself in Pride & Prejudice she comes across as a wooden actress in films like Pirates of the Caribbean. Atonement really sees her at her best yet.
We can see James McAvoy’s excellent talent again here in this movie, although sadly overlooked performance in The Last King of Scotland still sticks firmly in memory. James McAvoy proves further that he’s becoming one of the finest young actors working today. Its also refreshing to see a young actress, Saoirse Ronan, not be eye gougingly irritating, but rather a superb actress.

The beautiful colours of the summer house are amazing, but the way the camera moves around the house makes it even better. There’s an astounding ten-minute tracking shot that depicts the allied forces on the beach of Dunkirk that will have cineastes slobbering.

All of it’s music is delectable from the unique sound of the typewriter tapping to the dramatic romantic music.

A movie that shows how one misunderstanding that could stay with one girl’s life. Forever. It would be very hard for you to not reduce to tears from the emotional ending.

“Atonement” is a must-watch movie this year!

Resources

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