Beautiful canvas, beautiful colors, beautifully directed, beautifully acted

Rating: 8/10 (16 December 2007)

From Joe Wright, the acclaimed director Pride and Prejudice comes his sophomore effort, Atonement based on the best selling novel by Ian McEwan. The film tells the story of Robbie and Cecilia, two young lovers torn apart by a false accusation of young Briony, Cecilia's sister. Robbie is sent to prison and in exchange for his incarceration, he must serve in World War II for his freedom.
This is technically and visually the best film of the year. The stunning cinematography by Seamus McGarvey which acts like a photographer capturing the glimpses at the doors of heaven are absolutely breathtaking. The scenery and images are all but believable as we are thrown into a time of passion, betrayal, corruption, and torment.
Now, I've never been a fan of British Cinema like the next avid Oscar watcher. Never cared for Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice wasn't terrible but nothing great, Howard's End and The Remains of the Day are mediocre to me. The reason I say this is that I was feeling the way I felt about those films with Atonement for the first half. I thought was melodrama to the extreme and overly emotional and presented that it disengaged the viewer from the picture. As the film continued I felt myself being closely drawn to the performance of James McAvoy very reminiscent of Jude Law's performance in Cold Mountain but with more depth, more life, more response.
The melodrama continued and all of a sudden, comes this powerful last third of Atonement. Romola Garai who plays the Briony at 18 who's performance is very responsive and spacious heats up the screen with poise and control. Garai who hasn't had success in with mediocre performances and films like Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights and Vanity Fair finally is given some scenery to chew. Inhabiting the guilt and despondency of Briony was quite a task and sincere effort to bring her to the viewer with aggression yet subtlety was great.
Keira Knightley who has teamed up with Joe Wright before in his directorial debut is beautiful in elegance but nothing extroverted that makes you take her with you after the film ends. Her Romeo & Juliet story with McAvoy is the most tender parts of the movie however, disappointment is the only feeling I can describe to you, the reader, with her work here. With expectations so high maybe that was her downfall with myself.
Saoirse Ronan who has been reaping all the buzz is a talent to watch in the future but alas, I can't wallow in the glory of Ronan without feeling Garai is missing out on the glory. It is the best child performance of the year by far and her curiosity and crush on Robbie is special to the film; Ronan holds her own against the other talents in the film.
In the end, it's the wonderful veteran actress Vanessa Redgrave that steals the show and inhabits Older Briony which singled handedly saves the film in its entirety. All the melodrama and over zealous antics of the film were summed up in the finale and because of Redgrave it all made me swallow it a whole lot better. Redgrave holds all the tragedy of the film in her brief and final moments that encourage all of us to share in the love for all humanity. Thinking about all the things that you regret and wish you could change is the solution to the film Atonement. Atonement in the sense of the word, is needed in all our lives as the one thing that is a necessity but everyone hesitates to take. The film is a work of art.
Grade: ***½/****