An epic tale of lust, love, war, and guilt with remorse.

Rating: 7/10 (21 January 2008)

"Atonement" is clearly a fine work of art on screen that's greatly influenced by literature. It has all the classic elements of literature and classic prose from lust, love, war, and in the end the central character writer Briony Tallis feeling guilt and remorse for a false accusation. The film will clearly bring out emotions especially if your genre of choice is romance and passionate love, yet you will have wished for more proved truth and justice to have happened earlier in the film even though it's revealed in the end.
Set in the mid 1930's in England the film has a classy and elegant setting like all British films you feel the grace of the family. You quickly become swept up by the beginning and desire for dreams as little young darling Briony Tallis(Saoirse Ronan)is caught up in a world of plays, imagination and stories she wants to happen ranging from joy to love. Her older sister is looked upon from her as an inspiration Cecilia Tallis(Keira Knightley)a young lady who's eager for love and romance escape by desire and pleasure. Only young Briony sees an unpleasant and uneasy sight from Cecilia's new love interest as dashing Robbie Turner's ambition for lust will soon send him on an unpleasant and long journey that will make him struggle for love and happiness.
As "Atonement" spans thru time into war of the gruesome blood and death that Robbie sees while fighting as a solider, Briony's story unfolds as the time changes with her sister growing up and moving on to nurse school and Briony herself with take the same job path. All along the flashbacks of love and joy are presented so well only like a classic work of literature it reveals the painful truth of justice and honesty in the end as we see an old and aging Briony who has it all wrapped up in her last and greatest and most soul truth searching novel piece. You the viewer should finally feel the truth and justice.
Overall "Atonement" is a good film I will not call it great because the war and romance genre isn't my favorite, yet it still has enough classic literary elements like lust, love, and the search for truthful justice to make it interesting and enjoyable to watch.