Powerful

Rating: 8/10 (14 January 2008)

I read Ian McEwan's Atonement novel a little over a year ago for class (it's not the type of book I'd read for myself). Naturally, I decided it would be interesting to see the critically acclaimed film adaptation. Atonement follows the novel faithfully, with the exception of a couple scenes. It tells the story of a imaginative child, Briony Tallis, who discovers a love relationship between her sister Cecilia and friend Robbie. She mistakes Robbie for a sexual maniac, and wrongly accuses him when another friend, Lola, is attacked in the night. The rest of the plot follows the consequences of this accusation and Briony's attempts at atonement.
The film is Oscar quality in many ways. The direction is excellent; the complex plot is difficult to clearly convey on screen, but Joe Wright is able to put it together with few flaws. In the first half hour or so, the pacing is a bit jumbled; this clears up as it develops. The camera-work is well done; a notable scene is the five minute single-shot recreation of the Dunkirk beaches. The acting is good from all parts and the character development is solid. The music score was also excellent; it really fit the mood of the whole movie and added a nice touch to the key scenes.
Atonement is an emotional film. It carries a sense of sadness that few films are capable of. The remarkable thing is that the sadness is not at all depressing, but more sympathetic. It is sad to realize the extent of such a small moment and how it could tear lives apart. That is the main thing that makes Atonement a film that I would highly recommend.