Atonement was met with high praise from critics upon release last year, and went on to win Best Film at the Golden Globes. Adapted from the novel by Ian McEwan and directed by English director Joe Wright, Atonement is a lush tale of lost love and burning regret spanning three distinct periods in the life of its central protagonist. The film is at times discomforting in its juxtaposition of beauty and brutality, but by its conclusion is certainly a moving and rewarding piece of cinema.
The Story of Atonement
Atonement begins in 1935 where thirteen-year-old Briony (Saoirse Ronan) is forever changed after witnessing the sexually charged interactions between her sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie (James McAvoy). Feeling both confused and betrayed, Briony makes a fatal mistake when accusing Robbie of a sinister crime, plunging he and Cecilia’s future into terrible uncertainty. Five years later, Briony is a nurse during the War, and is desperate to make amends.
During this time Cecilia is also working as a nurse while Robbie is serving on the frontline in Dunkirk. Briony finds herself still very much estranged from the couple despite her best efforts to apologize and set things right. These experiences are recounted by the elderly Briony (Vanessa Redgrave) in the modern day. During a television interview in which she discusses the autobiographical nature of her book, Briony reveals the devastating truth of her life and the consequences suffered by those closest to her.
Strong Direction and Performances
The greatest strength of Atonement is its strong and compelling story. It covers a range of emotional and thematic territory that transcends both time and place. Director Joe Wright has done an excellent job in translating this story visually, particularly in the way he juxtaposes the dream-like English countryside and mansion of the first act against the bleak war-time setting of the second. These visual contrasts lend the film an unpredictable energy and rhythm that is highly effective.
Performances are uniformly excellent. Saoirse Ronan as the young Briony is so good she almost steals the whole film. Romola Garai is perfectly fine as the eighteen-year-old version of the character and Vanessa Redgrave is always wonderful, but both have a pretty hard act to follow. James McAvoy is a real revelation as Robbie, and he imbues the character with charm, warmth and nobility as well as fierce passion and rage. By comparison Keira Knightley is more limited in range and remains somewhat cold on-screen, but this is easily her best work to date.
A Challenging But Rewarding Film
It’s difficult to find any significant faults in Atonement, as each element has been thoroughly worked over with great care. The tense, unsettling score and haunting use of flashback are particularly noteworthy. The film won’t be to all tastes though, with its central love story being a drawn-out, sad and at times tragic affair. Pacing is also quite modest, particularly in the meticulous but slowly building first act that is crucial in setting up the later parts of the story. This isn’t so much a flaw as a deliberate ploy on the director’s part that ultimately rewards the audience’s patience.
Atonement is an excellent romantic drama and one of tremendous depth. Performances, direction, production design and music are particularly strong, but this is not a film for general audiences. There is as much brutality to be found here as there is beauty, and the story is at times harrowing to watch. Atonement is not a film that rewards instantly, but its emotional pull is slowly enveloping and ultimately very satisfying.
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