Atonement (DVD) > Reviews (31)

Atonement: something done to make amends for wrongdoing.

The story of Atonement begins in the sumptuous and idyllic setting of an upper class family who live in a huge country mansion. It initially takes place in 1935 pre war Britain and it is a very compelling and complex film. Basically it is the tale of the relationship of two sisters and a local man. A love triangle of sorts. Bryony is thirteen, and a very precocious, sensitive, creative and highly strung individual. Her older sister Cecilia is a vivacious, 20 something, and is a very beautiful creature indeed. Bryony harbours a fascination with her sister and a jealousy of the attention that centres on her. There is a man at the heart of this tale, Robbie, the housekeeper's son whose studies have been financed by Cecilia's father and whom Cecilia is very much in love with. She keeps it hidden though, because, as she says to Bryony, when asked by her sister, why she didn't really talk to him any more; Cecilia's reply was, "Because we move in different circles". So here it appears, was the class divide that evidently separates the love that they felt for one another.

Whilst collecting flowers in the grounds a vase is broken and Cecilia strips off and plunges in to the fountain to retrieve the broken piece, as she surfaces, Robbie is filled with desire at witnessing her body through her wet clothes. Unable to put his passion into words, Robbie goes home and composes a note to her. He composes two actually, one is crude and sexual where he has written down what he what like to do to her in his fantasies, and he uses the C word. The other is more formal and is the correct one which he means to send. He rushes down to the meadow and sees Bryony running wildly through the grass and he asks her to deliver his note to Cecilia before he arrives for dinner at the big house later that evening. On reaching home, to his horror, he realises that he has included the wrong note in the letter.

Now, Bryony has a huge crush on Robbie, an intense infatuation and at thirteen is still too immature to identify just what these feelings mean. One day Bryony throws herself into the lake to see if Robbie will save her, which of course he does, and like some great romantic scene from a movie Bryony says, "You saved my life, I owe you everything, you are my hero." Bryony is a very gifted young woman who writes plays for her cousins to perform and on the very night that they are due to do just this, after the big dinner, a strange and very dark happening occurs that will alter the lives of Cecilia, Bryony and Robbie forever. -

Atonement is an incredibly beautiful film and one that moves at an urgent pace. From the very opening scene when Bryony is hurriedly finishing writing the play on her typewriter, the tap of the keys forms the beat of the music and it is sharp and urgent and the whole underlying feeling is one of a frantic nature and a dark foreboding. This is brilliantly done and throughout the film strange sounds such as these, are picked out and featured as a tempo and beat as part of the musical score.

There is urgency running right through the heart of this film and it shown in fast movement, fast cuts and the cast always walking quickly accompanied by the haunting and hugely moving piano solo and the wonderful musical score.

There is strange use of flashbacks and flash forwards at odd times during the film though it is not hard to keep up, but it does throw you off balance a little and this is probably what was intended. The film is striking, not only in its stunning use of cinematography, and this is some of the best I've ever seen without a doubt, but also in the amazing propping. It captured the era perfectly. Every detail, every prop was beautifully chosen and the flow of the film was perfectly believable because wherever the eye was cast, every item was in keeping with the period. There is so much to applaud within the film. The costumes and make-up, the casting, which was fantastic and where ever they found the two curly, red haired twin cousins was incredible. They looked like something out of Famous Five, so in keeping with the era.

Much like 'Sliding Doors' when you are given two scenarios of a given situation, then Atonement does similar and more. They will show a scene from one angle and viewpoint and then they show it from another person's perspective. This is incredibly powerful film making and I loved the use of this. The whole film worked amazingly well on every level. The story is superb, intricate and highly interesting, moving and very poignant. I never get emotional watching a film but with Atonement the sheer beauty of it all just swept me away and the heartbreaking realism on display did get to me I have to admit. The film showed the 'upstairs downstairs' aspect well and the class divide of rural England. As the film changes in time, the reconstruction and images of a war torn era and the spirit of Dunkirk were shown in dramatic and accurate form. There is nothing not to praise here. Every last detail was as it should be.

The acting is first class James McAvoy gives a blinding performance as Robbie, entirely believable and superbly sincere; I can't remember a male actor with a more beautifully sad and expressive face. His ability to convey profound emotion without speaking a word is exemplified in a very poignant scene when he accidentally stumbles across the bodies of some convent school girls in an orchard in wartime France. Keira Knightly as Cecilia Tallis is spellbinding, especially when she moves and speaks. The camera loves her and her close-ups are perfection. She really is very beautiful and projects a truly refined eroticism. For me, these two gave the finest performances. The supporting cast were also extremely effective. Saiorse Ronan plays the part of Bryony, Cecilia's disturbing and obsessive young sister to perfection. The direction is superb and the story has an incredible depth to it. What stole the film for me ultimately, was the stunning countryside and beautiful lakes. The cinematography was some of the best I've ever witnessed.

It captured every fine detail in such amazing use of the close up. The sweeping angles of the poppy fields, the blades of grass, the swirl on the water of the lake and the breathtaking underwater cinematography had me spellbound throughout.

The dialogue in the movie is worth taking note of, especially conversations between Robbie and Cecilia. This is delivered in the rather clipped, staccato cadence of the upper class English of the 1930's. There are times when you feel you are listening to one of those old black and white movies made during the 1930's or 40's.

Most memorable movies have at least one unforgettable scene, but Atonement has many that linger in the mind long after you have seen it. Perhaps as part of her early attempts at atonement Bryony gives up her university education to take up nursing during the war. She endures the discipline and sheer hard work required of her profession like some penance she is compelled to serve. During this time she is asked by her matron to comfort a dying French soldier. He has a head wound and is delusional; he talks to her affectionately as if she is someone he remembers from his past. She tenderly holds his hand and replies to him in French; pretends to be the girl he thinks she is. He tells her that the bandage around his head is too tight and asks for her help. She slowly unwinds the dressing only to reveal that the poor man has lost a major part of his skull and his brain is exposed. Though obviously shocked at the sight of his terrible injury she gentle re-bandages the man's head while speaking words of comfort in French. This scene left a huge impression on me, it doesn't go away.

The music was also absolutely incredible all the way through the film. Music is running through the core of this film which aids brilliantly in creating the huge atmosphere and emotion throughout. Listen out for the edgy and percussive typewriter sounds that punctuate the soundtrack during moments of pace and heightened tension. The score and cinematography worked hand in hand with ease to create a visually and audibly spectacular masterpiece of a film and basically I can't praise it enough. Atonement deservedly won many awards, including Oscars. It is a movie for adults, preferably those who have experienced love, hopefully not loss. It is a story that defines the very nature and meaning of atonement in a new and unexpected manner.

And for the DVD buffs the one I bought included some deleted scenes, a making of feature, a director's commentary and a novel to screen feature.
MPAA:Rated R for disturbing war images, language and some sexuality.
Runtime:123 min
Country:UK | France
Language:English | French
Color:Color
Aspect Ratio:1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:DTS | Dolby Digital
Certification:UK:15

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