Great Movie

Rating: 10/10 (15 December 2007)

Movies don't get much better than Atonement. It was nice to watch a critically acclaimed film that left you surprised by its power and intelligence, usually it's the other way around. Atonement is a beautifully told love story that is both gripping and tragic.
Without going into too much detail, the story shares some common elements with the English Patient. Both are based on acclaimed novels and include a pair of star-crossed lovers. Both stories are set before and during the Second World War and feature military hospitals, aristocratic men in tuxedos and a British army in retreat from the Germans. Another key similarity is a beautiful upper class English woman who falls in love with an outsider and finds herself punished by events beyond her control.
Joe Wright is a wonderful director and the cinematography and look of the film are impressive. Keira Knightley and James McAvoy are both excellent. The period dialog by Ian McEwan and Christopher Hampton was smart and refreshing. Highly recommend.