Beautiful but sad story

Rating: 9/10 (24 December 2007)

When I went to the cinema I expected one solid drama with Keira Knightley in a leading role. But instead I walked out of the cinema with that feeling when you know that you just watched one hell of movie. Ian McEwan's novel is brought to life in this great movie about love, actually about love story of Robbie Turner and Cecilia Tallis. Cecilia's younger sister Briony wrongfully accuses Robbie for raping her cousin Lola. Briony's strong imagination pulls many events in the future as Robbie ends up in prison and Cecilia losses her love of life. Briony's misunderstanding leads to a terrible crime whose consequences follow them through World War II.
After "Pride & Prejudice", director Joe Wright decided to make another movie that is based on a book and this one is a winner and quite possibly the winner of Oscar for Best Picture in the next year. "Atonement" gives us few strong performances but James McAvoy steals the show. That scene in the house when Briony visits Cecilia and Robbie is great. Saoirse Ronan shows great potential, Keira Knightley isn't long in this movie but she's good as usual and Vanessa Redgrave is excellent as older Briony. But what really amazed me is how Wright tells us this story in beautiful simplicity, with returning in the past but never leaves the viewer with questions cause he presents all the answers. One scene is amazing and that is when Robbie comes to the beach with his fellow soldiers. Really breathtaking and spectacular scene, cause "Atonement" is one beautiful but sad story and it is really shame to miss it, so go and watch one of top 10 movies in this year.