Briony's betrayal echoes through the decades

Rating: 8/10 (11 April 2008)

Java Man Reviews "Atonement" (Rated R). Directed by Joe Wright. Written by Christopher Hampton, based on the novel by Ian McEwan. Starring Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Vanessa Redgrave & Brenda Blethyn. Running Time: 123 minutes. Originally appeared in LakewoodBuzz.com.
OVERVIEW:
In this cinematic adaptation of Ian McEwan's best-seller, the filmmakers take us back to the Tallis country house in 1935 rural England. Here, 13 year-old Briony Tallis (Ronan) sees her sister Cecilia (Knightley) in a romantic embrace with Robbie Turner (McAvoy), the son of one of the family's servants (Blethyn). Because of her naivety, and her confused feelings for her sister's suitor, Briony falsely accuses the young man of committing a sex crime. The story then weaves back and forth through time, as the emotional consequences of Briony's betrayal echo through the decades. The film follows the three characters, now sadly separated, as they encounter the ravages of World War II. Brionyfirst as a young war-time nurse (Garai) and later as an elderly woman (Redgrave)is constantly trying to find a way to atone for her unforgivable falsehood.
REVIEW: 3 Java Mugs out of 4
At the beginning of the film, young Briony taps relentlessly on a typewriter as she composes a play for her family. The rat-a-tat-tat of a typist typing continues throughout the film, and is a major component of the film's Oscar-winning score (Atonement's only win out of 7 nods), Though it threatens to become annoying, there is a reason for it; I suggest you listen to the score, and make note of what is happening on the screen when you hear the unrelenting Underwood.
While the pacing of the film, especially in the opening sequences, seems slow, it does provide an opportunity to admire the exquisite art direction and set design that reveals the more leisurely lifestyle of England in the 1930s. Another reason to savor these slower scenes is to take pleasure in the appeal of Knightley, McAvoy and Ronan before their characters are overwhelmed by the harsh realities of war. Briony has three actors who define her complex character... Ronan and Redgrave who are brilliant, and Garai who gives a more conventional, less compelling portrayal.
The film's pace quickens as World War II approaches. In one remarkable scene, director Wright sets up a five-minute continuous tracking shot at Dunkirk Beach as the British soldiers are preparing to sail back to England. The moving camera captures the reality of war and its surreal elements as we follow Robbie past bombed-out buildings, burning boats, horses being shot and a performing choir. This is one of the best scenes of the year, and should take its place among such famous film feats as Orson Welles' opening shot in Touch of Evil (1958) and Robert Altman's homage to Welles in The Player (1992).