Certificate
15
Number of Discs
1
Country/Region of Manufacture
United Kingdom
Reviews
Empire Magazine - An adaptation at least as good as the novel - complex, delicate and devastating. Gorgeous cinematography, a lilting score and near-faultless performances, under Wright's assured direction, make this the first contender for next year's Best Picture Oscar., Empire - Gorgeous cinematography, a lilting score and near-faultless performances, under Wright's assured direction, make this the first contender for next year's Best Picture Oscar, Guardian - What a clever, ambitious, compassionate picture it is; what a success for Joe Wright and for Knightley and McAvoy. It's a film which aims at big ideas, and it treats us like grownups.
Consumer Advice
Contains very strong language, bloody injuries and moderate sex
Additional Information
On a sultry summer day in 1935, an upper-class British family prepares for a dinner party at their country estate. The participants include Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), a precocious preteen writer, her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley), Cambridge graduate and femme fatale, Robbie Turner (James McEvoy), the housekeeper's virtuous son, who carries a torch for Cecilia, and various visitors and family members. A series of misperceptions, fuelled by the summer heat and Briony's childish hurts and fevered imagination, lead to a dramatic false accusation that lands Robbie in jail. We meet all three characters five years later in the thick of World War II, as foot soldier Robbie prepares for the Dunkirk evacuation and the two estranged sisters train as nurses in London.
Director Joe Wright (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE) deserves high praise for translating Ian McEwan's highly internalised, multilayered tale of guilt, redemption, and the power and limits of the artistic imagination, into a sumptuous visual feast that not only conveys the intricate plot points of the novel, but dives headfirst into the emotional subtleties that make the story so wrenching. Whether any of the characters' actions are ultimately atoned for by the end of the film is a matter of perception, but Wright's sympathetic eye ensures that every player gets a fair trial. The young director favours long, lingering close-ups that trace every flicker of feeling--Ronan's luminous blue eyes clouding over with righteous gravity; the tremors of hurt and anger and love in McEvoy's sensitive face; the defiant jut of Knightley's jaw as it melts into tender affection. The honey-drizzled look of the first two thirds of the film contrasts achingly with the tension and seriousness of the action unfolding (and the grim intensity of the wartime sections), and the scenes on the beach at Dunkirk include masterly camera. ATONEMENT is a powerful story, retold in a way that even diehard fans of the book will appreciate.
Movie/TV Title
Atonement
Sound source
Dolby Digital
Awards
Best Original Score - Motion Picture 2008 -, Best Music Original Score (Dramatic/Musical/Comedy) 2008 - Dario Marianelli, Best Motion Picture - Drama 2008 -, Best Film 2008 -
Screenwriter
Christopher Hampton
Writer
Ian McEwan
