A Director's Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (5 March 2008)

"Atonement" is a major achievement of the year, as it transforms the complex words of Ian McEwan's psychological novel into esthetic cinematic greatness, making us feel different feelings and ultimately creating three intriguing atmospheres, the first being an intricate portrait of the lives of a family, the second being an intense yet realistic look at war and the third showing us a flawed, selfish woman full of regret for the actions that she once committed and the causes that they committed in the lives of others. Whether these three atmospheres can differ in experimental styles, they are parallel to each other, allowing a certain rhythm to the story without being incoherent.
"Atonement" begins with Briony Tallis writing "The Trials of Arabella" on her typing-machine. When she finishes writing it, she goes up and looks for her mom, while an intriguing score plays in the background (it is a mix of a haunting music with the sounds of her typing-machine marking the rhythm). This is how the tragic story begins. As this story advances, Briony witnesses the mysterious actions of Robbie Turner. She sees him making love with her confused and disorganized sister Cecilia. She then becomes witness of a horrible crime which she doesn't understand but she thinks she does, and falsely accuses Robbie Turner because of what he did earlier. Because of her interpretation of mature things, she separates Robbie and Cecilia. Robbie goes to war and Cecilia leaves the Tallis house and becomes a nurse, as she waits for her lover to be with her.
Christopher Hampton portrays a faithful adaptation of the picture's source material with his exquisite screenplay. The book has many segments of descriptions, mainly of the character's thoughts and feelings. It is a challenge to transform these thoughts and feelings into the cinematic language but Hampton managed to stay original by transforming them into images rather than going safe by making an omniscient narration. The book also shows the perspective of the three principal characters, and Hampton stayed true to this. He individually shows these perspectives instead of making an obvious omniscient view (some scenes are repeated so that the audience can observe the perception of every character).
Joe Wright, the director of the amusing though simple "Pride & Prejudice", outdoes himself with this motion picture. The directing is pretty much the most valuable aspect of this picture, as it conveys extraordinary executions of diverse feelings and of mood. There are many essential scenes were the directing is key, such as the smart sex scene. The shots are very detailed, showing the lips and body parts of the two principal characters and leaving us seduced. Another exhaustive scene is the long shot that follows Robbie Turner. This long shot creates a slow rhythm, as slow and tiresome as what Robbie is feeling. He is full of desperation, hunger and he is tired because of the war. This shot conveys these aspects without having to use dialogue to explain the situation of this character.
This picture also possesses some visually stunning images because of the complex cinematography and the detailed art direction. The set decoration of the aristocratic Tallis mansion is impeccable, as it is full of diverse colors and breathtaking British antiques which contrast with the pale colors of the French beach and the burned houses during the war. The cinematography is also impeccable. In the previously mentioned sex scene, the cinematography has to capture some very close shots of the different body parts of the characters and with very little light to maintain true to the mood that the scene must have. The scene is able to show us the impact that it was supposed to perceive.
The performances of the film are restrained but powerful. James McAvoy simply shines as Robbie Turner. He has a tough character development, as he has to bring a transformation to the screen, from being a seductive gardener who's finishing his studies to feeling physical pain because of war. He brings his character to life and his rage scenes portray the emotion that they were supposed to. Keira Knightley also plays a complex role. While some of her dialogue can be a little typical, such as the lines of "I love you. I will wait for you", she is still able to convey a confused character experiencing for the first time her sexuality and how this event becomes a true passion. Vanessa Redgrave was extraordinary in her final scene, playing the old and flawed Briony Tallis with remorse and full of demons, during her last days of life. She is the weight of the final scene and her revelation watered my eyes in the end.
While some persons usually complain because films aren't why they used to be, "Atonement" simply shows that true masterpieces with character development and extraordinary directing can still be made. It is a motion picture that touches many different aspects, from emotions to class, from passion to war. It shows literature with images and not with words and it conveys irresistible scenes with amazing execution.