Atonement: When making amends might not be enough

Rating: 9/10 (9 January 2016)

Briony Tallis has seen something. Something that will change her life forever, but not only hers: Cecilia, her older sister and Robbie Turner (the housemaid's son) will also be dragged into a spiral of lies and regrets that will last for years and decades.
Atonement is Ian McEwan's most famous novel: an intense, heartbreaking story about mistakes, their power to ruin lives and the atonement that might lead or not to forgiveness. Director Joe Wright, after revisiting Jane Austen in Pride and prejudice, goes for another period piece (this time set in pre-WWII England) taking McEwan's novel and the final result is just as provocative and moving as the book, but favored by ravishing costume design (that green dress worn by Keira Knightley is already a fashion icon), Seamus McGarvey's breathtaking cinematography, an incredible art direction and Dario Marianelli's captivating score (for which he won the Oscar). All these elements are perfectly assembled by Wright and help to create a bigger impact in the audience.
Wright relies on the work of Oscar winner Christopher Hampton ad whilst he doesn't derail too much from the original source, he achieves an emotionally compelling adaptation, that keeps most of the moral dilemmas pointed out by McEwan, such as how to make amends (and for how long) for something like Briony did? Or Is truly possible to forgive when the damage is too much? Briony's conflict is a tough one, and even though her action can be perceived as vicious and mean, she's not a bad person and as we can see she tries to fix things in her own way.
To play Briony through the years, Wright casts three actresses: the first is Saoirse Ronan (her Oscar-nominated breakthrough performance) as the young Briony, a girl enthralled by writing and whose imagination leads to the dramatic confusion that will cause Robbie's disgrace. Then comes Romola Garai, the adult Briony, the one who finally understands the consequences of her actions. And finally Vanessa Redgrave as old Briony at the end of her life, ready to end her atonement after living with the guilt all those years. All of them provide Briony's range of emotions with an adroit virtuosity. Also James McAvoy shines as Robbie with an affecting turn, we can feel his pain, frustration and anger, as he's sent to the war field and becomes a witness of the horror caused by it. And Keira Knightley offers a really mature performance as Cecilia.
Atonement is what can be distinguished as a beautiful ache: you know it'll hurt you, but it's inevitable to not watch due to its striking beauty.