The best British film I've ever seen!

Rating: 9/10 (22 February 2008)

I finally had the chance to see this much talked-about film last week and what a fulfilling viewing experience it was! It lived up to my expectations and didn't fail to deliver in all the scrutinous aspects of film-making.
To begin with, Atonement is a crafty interpretation of Ian McEwan's best-selling novel of the same title. Christopher Hampton did a great job on the screenplay, though I wasn't very impressed with Joe Wright's work as the director. The (over)usage of juxtaposition between Briony's perspective and the 'real' event worked most of the time, but the recurring flashbacks would be too much for the ordinary moviegoer. I'm not certain if it is Wright's style or technique but he deviates to mislead the viewers at some points in the movie. There were also some unnecessary scenes that could have been deleted without affecting the story.
The film's art direction, set design, costume design and cinematography successfully captured the essence of the plot and the emotion of the characters, as well as the atmosphere of the film's setting. It takes us from the laid-back splendor of the Tallis estate on the summer of 1935 to the dreadful scenes of World War II. I particularly liked the long shot on the Dunkirk beach, where the singing soldiers' somber songs of valor and hope combined with Robbie's longing-turned-desperation to see Cecilia again touched a part of my heart. But my favorite part of the movie has to be the sequence starting from Cecilia composing herself in front of the mirror, with opera playing in the background, interspersed with the shots of Robbie typing his 'anatomical' letter of apology to Cee, leading up to the scene in the library. It was pure grandeur.
One of the most memorable things about the movie is the superb musical score by Dario Marianelli. It's the first time in recent memory that I've seen a movie where a typewriter is used as a device to present most of the film's musical score. The incorporation of the typewriter rouses the viewer's emotions and builds up tension, thus adding to the thrill. It was used masterfully in the scenes where Briony read Robbie's letter and during Paul Marshall's wedding - the ascending pace of the typewriter's sounds matching that of the simultaneously increasing volume as the scene drastically progresses makes up for a magnificent (and not to say dramatic) finish.
In the acting arena, Saoirse Ronan (pronounced ˈsɪrʃə ˈroʊnən though honestly, at first I thought her name sounds like seahorse lol) is a sensational discovery. She is the perfect choice for the role of the young Briony Tallis. Ronan understood the guileless profundity of her character. Her expressive eyes speak and convey a wide range of emotions that provoke our thoughts and challenge our capability to judge. She portrayed Briony very well and judging from her striking performance in the movie, Ronan is a very promising new talent and she'll definitely make it far. I'm pretty sure she'll give Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) and Dakota Fanning (I Am Sam) a run for their money.
Not to be outdone is the very talented but underrated James McAvoy as Robbie Turner. His strong and arresting performance in Atonement as the ill-fated housekeeper's son who fell in love with his master's daughter clearly shows why he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. You can see depth and derive profound understanding of his character just by looking in his eyes and observing his gestures. I felt that his work in this movie was overlooked by the Academy members. Maybe in the next couple of years he'll finally wow them and get his long-overdue Oscar nomination.
While Ronan and McAvoy breathed and lived their characters, Keira Knightley gave a satisfactory portrayal as Cecilia Tallis, Briony's elder sister and Robbie's dearly beloved. Her acting was 'OK' throughout the movie but she didn't exert the same amount of passion, fire and spirit as her co-actors did. I didn't see anguish or turmoil in both her facial expressions and body language that would convince me that she is in a war-torn time and place. She gave too much finesse that it seemed like she's not affected by the ongoing chaos at all. And finally, her unnaturally hasty line delivery just seemed very anticipated and rehearsed, that's why I didn't feel the intensity of her acting in this movie. Same goes with Romola Garai as the 18 year-old Briony Tallis. She was good, but I know she could have done better.
The one that gave body to the whole film was the 77 year-old Briony, played by the legendary Vanessa Redgrave, who did her meaningful part excellently, substantiating guilt, remorse and enlightenment. She may have appeared on screen for only a mere 5 minutes or so but her performance was pitch-perfect. The closure she gave - "with no rhymes, no embellishments" - brought tears to the eyes and tugged my heartstrings when I least expect it.
The ending was executed perfectly. It wasn't over the top nor exaggerated - just the right tone and mood to give the audience an emotional upheaval and a heartrending realization of the meaning of the word atonement.
In a nutshell, Atonement is more than just an artsy film about two lovers separated by war and betrayed by the consequences of a child's naïve understanding of the world around her - it's a lesson about integrity, strength, endurance, hope and compassion, and how the absence of those can deprive us of happiness, change the course of our destiny and ever ruin people's lives.
This film just blew me away so it currently ranks 15th on the list of my most favorite movies of all time (14th had I not seen Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle the day after), securing its position as the best British film I've seen so far.