The Power of Words

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2007)

A brief, misplaced note, an epic novel meant to cleanse scarred souls, the knowledge that what is written and what is said can both kill and heal - and it all begins with the sound of typewriter keys clacking against white paper, preparing the viewer for the cataclysmic events to unfold.
Director Joe Wright has created the most breathtaking and tragic film of the last decade, an event that is magnificent and intimate at the same time, one that marries sweeping cinematic visuals with the most personal and nuanced acting performances of the year.
Kiera Knightley and James McAvoy are astounding as the doomed lovers, their mature performances defying their youth. Saoirse Ronan is nothing short of spectacular as precocious Briony Tallis, the child with the vivid imagination who sets the film's events in motion. As 18-year old Briony, Romola Garai carries a lifetime of anguish on her face. And although Vanessa Redgrave has less than five minutes of total screen time, her heartbreaking soliloquy is like a punch to the gut that will have even the most hardened souls choking back the tears and leaving no one doubting that Redgrave is among the finest actresses alive today.
The brilliant cinematography of Seamus McGarvey, the tense musical score of Dario Marianelli (who ingeniously integrates clacking typewriter keys into his compositions), and the beautifully detailed vintage costuming by Jacqueline Durran form a "perfect cinematic storm," enveloping the viewer both visually and emotionally.
When the screen fades to black and the credits begin to roll, but the audience remains seated and silent, you know you've got a winner, and that's exactly what happens with "Atonement," a near perfect achievement.