Atonement
Based on the bestseller by Ian McEwan, Atonement is a story of misunderstandings and lives ruined. Of love denied and love delayed. It’s the kind of story that doesn’t just tug at the heart strings, it severs them. Gorgeously shot and directed by Joe Wright (2005’s Pride And Prejudice), Atonement marries the stylistic beauty of a Merchant Ivory production to the utter tragedy of an Anthony Minghella film.
We are introduced to sisters Briony (Saoirse Ronan) and Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley), upper-class and untouched by the realities of England between the first two world wars. Briony is 13-years-old, caught somewhere between the fantasies of childhood and the confusions of a teenager. Cecilia is in college, where she pretends to barely acknowledge her family housekeeper’s son, Robbie Turner (James McAvoy). Robbie’s schooling is being paid for by Briony and Cecilia’s father, and Robbie is spending the summer gardening on the Tallis estate.
A sexually-charged moment between Cecilia and Robbie at a fountain is witnessed by young Briony, who misinterprets what she sees. Briony has a crush on Robbie, the elements of which are shown throughout the movie in flashback. She feels both betrayed and fearful for her sister. Later, Briony witnesses a sexual encounter between the two in the family library. She begins to think Robbie is a sexual predator. When Briony’s cousin Lola Quincey (Juno Temple) is raped, she falsely accuses Robbie of the crime.
Robbie is imprisoned, and eventually chooses to go to war instead of spending the rest of his life in jail. Cecilia has gone into nursing, abandoning her family, who still believe Robbie is a criminal. They reunite in stolen moments, refusing to succumb to the horrors of the war and Robbie’s criminal record. Briony (now played by Romola Garai) has realized her childhood follies and joined her sister in nursing. She attempts to reconcile with Cecilia and Robbie, the results of which are revealed in the present day (with Briony played by Vanessa Redgrave).
Atonement is adapted from novel to screen quite well, with the stylistic flourishes of Wright effective in making long, dialogue-free scenes intimately interesting. Robbie’s visit to a beach at Dunkirk is assembled as one long tracking shot, filmed in such a way to convey the horrors of war and the ennui of the survivors. His use of close-up photography and choice of color palates are very appealing. Atonement is visually stunning.
The performances are sublime, as well. Ronan earned a Best Actress in a Supporting Role nomination at this year’s Academy Awards. It’s well-deserved. She plays a complex role with relative ease. Knightly and McAvoy are fantastic, in roles well-suited to their skills. Knightly, in particular, continues to impress with her fire, wit, and skill with dialogue.
Grade: A-
