Atonement

Rating: 10/10 (1 January 2008)

I wanted to single out Vanessa Redgrave for special acclaim, as she brought the whole movie together, I felt, in a very purposeful summary of the consequences of her actions as a very immature and spoiled 13-year old. She is an astonishingly powerful and convincing actor. That takes nothing away from the other key actors, who quite simply were brilliant.
A very thoughtless and selfish act, effectively created the plot for an astonishingly beautiful and well-crafted piece of cinematic genius. I saw this movie on my own, as my wife was away, and four young rowdy teenage girls walked into the theatre and sat beside me. Half way through the movie, I noticed that the girl immediately beside me was gasping and sobbing, which almost moved me to tears also. The whole four girls had the tissues out, well before the end of the movie. Atonement, I must say made me feel what it must have been like to live through the horrors of WW2 and it made me feel great compassion for the nurses, who gave so much of themselves at a time when there was very little that medicine could do and the best treatment was to 'just be there' and sit, talking with the wounded and dying.
I agree with all the other comments I have read and will certainly go back and see this beautiful movie again with my wife...and take some tissues. I was extremely impressed with the unexpected impact this movie had, on my feelings. It was never predictable and had a great 'grab-bag' of emotions, scattered at unpredictable interludes, so you were kept guessing all the way through. I now need to go and buy the novel!