Atonement

Rating: 8/10 (9 February 2008)

I had seen many reviews for this film based on the popular novel of the same name, and heard about many award nominations and wins, and the critics gave it five stars, so I thought why not give it a go. Basically the wealthy and privileged Tallis family in 1935 live in a large mansion in the countryside, the main focus family members are the sisters, thirteen year old Briony (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Saoirse Ronan) and the older Cecilia (BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Keira Knightley). Briony is an aspiring writer, and she sees an incident down below at the fountain involving Cecilia and Robbie Turner (The Last King of Scotland's BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated James McAvoy), son of a family servant who wants to attend medical school, but we see their side of the story as an innocent mishap. Briony has a crush on Robbie, for some reason he writes a letter with highly sexual intentions, including the "C" word in it, instead of a true feelings one, and Briony reads it first, making her think he is a sex maniac, this is fuelled more when she spots them having sex in the library. Of course we saw the other side of this incident as well, but fuelled by jealousy and high concern Briony witnessed her cousin Lola Quincey (Juno Temple) being raped, but she purposely falsely says it was Robbie. Three or four years later he has spent in prison, but he is allowed to be released if he agrees to join the army for World War II which he does agree to do, and Cecilia meanwhile has become a nurse for war soldiers and victims. Eighteen year old Briony (Romola Garai) has also become a nurse in London supporting the war effort, by now she has realised the damage she has caused to her sister and Robbie, and wants to atone (make up or apologise) for her actions. She starts by finding the true rapist of Lola, it was Robbie's friend Paul Marshall (Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch) who is now engaged to the older Lola, and after their marriage she confronts this past truth. Cecilia and Robbie do reconnect before he is shipped to France, but it is not long enough and their love never truly flourished once again, as his fighting became imminent and her hospital duties got in the way too. The end of the films sees the Older Briony (Vanessa Redgrave) is talking to an Interviewer (Anthony Minghella) about her new book, Atonement, an autobiographical novel telling the truth about really happened in her past. Flashbacks reveal that Robbie did not die in action but from a fatal illness, and Cecilia died from drowning inside an underground room, but to "atone" (make up for or apologise) for her actions, she wrote an alternative ending for the lovers in her novel. Also starring Little Voice's Brenda Blethyn as Grace Turner, Patrick Kennedy as Leon Tallis, Julia West as Betty, Harriet Walter as Emily Tallis and Daniel Mays as Tommy Nettle. Knightley and McAvoy give fantastic performances as the lovers that never truly flourish to the extent you want, young Ronan gives a brilliant performance with her time on screen, the war scenes are reasonable, but of course the tragic love story is the most watchable part, a splendid period romantic drama. It won the Oscar for Best Music for Dario Marianelli, and it was nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published and Best Motion Picture of the Year, it won the BAFTAs for Best British Film and Best Production Design, and it was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Director for Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice - 2005), Best Editing, Best Make Up & Hair, Best Music, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Film, and it won the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Original Score, and it was nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay. Keira Knightley was number 9 on The 50 Greatest British Actresses. Very good!