Director: Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice)
Novel: Ian McEwan
Screenplay: Christopher Hampton
Producers: Paul Webster, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Starring: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 130 min.
Bettering his previous effort of Pride and Prejudice in terms of scope and spectacle, Joe Wright has put together what is possibly the best film of the year. At the very least he’s bumped one more film from my year top ten list. Although the character interactions and dialogue doesn’t quite measure up to his previous work, Atonement conquers Pride and Prejudice with sheer beauty and an emotional pounding that you won’t soon forget.
The movie is basically two large acts. The first, takes place in a gorgeous English countryside mansion just before the onset of World War II. Here we meet all of our protagonists: the Tallises and their caretaking crew. Cecilia (Knightley) is the eldest Tallis sister. Her and her sister, Briony, have a strong, sisterly bond. One day, while watching from a bedroom window, Briony sees the handsome, young caretaker Robbie, played by James MacAvoy, seemingly mistreating her older sister – which actually couldn’t be further from the truth. This is the young couple’s first realization of the love they have for one another. After two other encounters and misunderstandings of something a jealous, 13 year old girl couldn’t possibly fathom, the film takes a dark turn. When Briony sees her bond with Cecilia threatened by Robbie’s presence, she takes matters into her own hands; destroying three lives (including her own) forever, with one false accusation.
There seems to be hardly a care in the world for this wealthy family; nearly oblivious to the fact that the outside world is about to explode. We get hints of an outside world when their young cousins show up; talking about thier parents getting a divorce. More guests and family members arrive at the house for a gethering and there is some small talk about the possibility of war. In this way, we understand who the family is, but we also understand where we are in the world and the circumstances beyond this small plot of a lagoon-like paradise.
The second act takes place a few years later in war torn France, as Robbie is forced into a war he wants no part of. He is trying desperately to return home to his true love, Cecelia. Meanwhile, the Tallis sisters are enlisted into the army’s version of medical school where they treat and console wounded soldiers. Here is where we learn that Briony has had a change of heart and longs for forgiveness and the chance to make things right for what she has done.
The most glaring brilliance with this picture is its cinematography and score. The technical aspects of a movie, if they can win me over, will usually get this writer to automatically give the film fairly high marks. With Atonement, there are very few films this year (in fact only one) that even comes close to the stunning beauty of the brush strokes Wright has given us. From grassy plains to mountain crests and dark wooded forests, there just really aren’t words to describe the awe inspiring shots throughout just about every frame of Atonement.
Some may see a bit of cheese in a lot of these shots. Wright has employed the technique of glare to blot out some images, slightly giving some scenes the feel of a “Chanel No. 5″ commercial. Other times, the shots are very deliberate in their structure and it sort of seems unrealistic and obviously calculated, the way in which certain objects are placed or even the position of cast members. If you don’t find it distracting, it’s an incredible joy just to look at and take pleasure in.
What seems like an overbearing score at first, really becomes part of the picture. I mean that almost literally as several sound effects are used as percussive instruments. Sometimes it may be a ball bouncing on the wall or the footsteps of high heels on tile; but most notably the use of the clacking keys of a typewriter. The use of a typewriter early on as part of the soundtrack is not only just cool sounding, but also has metaphorical meaning that I won’t get into here.
While I hate to be too specific in written film reviews, special mention must be made of a couple shots within the picture. Most obvious to any viewer is the unbroken tracking shot of the beach at Dunkirk. There are thousands (quite literally) or things going on in this five minute (or more) sequence in which the camera follows MacAvoy across the beach, then up onto the city streets. The camera leaves MacAvoy and travels around the city a bit watching all the goings on of thousands of soldiers doing what soldiers do while trying to kill time. There are choirs, and jokes, bar brawls and face after face that are fascinating to watch. Some men are playing grab ass, some are getting work done, while others simply stare off into the ocean and you can’;t help but wonder what they may be thinking about. The camera then catches up again with MacAvoy and his crew and follows them along the street again. While these type of shots seem to be all the rage int he past few years, that doesn’t make them any less dense in substance or wondrous to enjoy.
A second shot shows Brioni as a young woman looking out the window at a very old woman barely hobbling down the street with the aid of a baby carriage. The metaphorical possibilities escape me, but I like to think she was thinking about the eventual day when she is an old woman and will she have received atonement for her doings. Really, it’s just an uneventful shot; but it’s just one of many that had me covering with mouth in the realization of how great this film really is.
The plot itself did seem to drag for a just a few mintues here and there, but we’re usually slapped right back into the story by one turn of events or another fairly quickly. In a nearly Oscar worthy performance, the great Vanessa Redgrave wraps up the story for us in what is possibly the best ending a film like this could possibly have and arguably the best ending of any movie this year. This author rarely cries in a film. And if he does, it is usually due to a really sad or touching film that impacts me with plot developments. Almost never has a tear been shed for these attributes accompanied by just the total shock at how much I loved this picture. I’m not saying that happened here, I’m just saying it certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibilities.
Clearly a movie for the ages and should easily be up for several Oscar nominations; including best picture, best director, best actor, best adapted screenplay and best cinematography. Possibly even more categories have worthy admissions with Atonement, but these five have got to be shoe-ins. There are three movies this year that I long to see again theatrically. I don’t have to tell you that Atonement is one of them.
Click “play” to see the trailer:
Links:
IMDb profile – full cast and crew
Official Site
Flixster Profile for ATONEMENT
I am so happy you enjoyed it Andrew. This was the one film Marina and I listed as absolute must see at the VIFF. The one shot of Dunkirk evacuation is my favorite scene from any movie all year. It also has the second hottest kiss this year also.
Atonement played just after we had seen Control (the best film of the year). It was a fantastic day for film!
I’m surprised at how much everyone seems to rave about this film. I’ll have to catch up with it sometime soon then.
I’m pretty surprised myself. I saw the trailer way too often in the theatres and frankly, it was a poorly put together trailer and I got pretty sick of watching it. I do like Ms. Knightley though and hopefully this makes its way to my area before long. Those are some bold statements, Andrew!
It was a merely a four star effort until the end… then…
Oh and I disagree about “a merely four star effort”. I think this is brilliant from the first shot with the typewriter. I was pre-disposed to like this film because of my high regard for Wright but what impresses me most is how much of an improvement this is from “Pride & Prejudice”. That was a film I thoroughly enjoyed but here, as you so eloquently pointed out, he expands his scope and proves he has the talent, skill and guts to give “BIG” a shot.
I loved Dario Marianelli’s score of P&P (it’s on fairly heavy rotation on my ipod at all times) and his work here is just as amazing. His ability to capture the emotions of the moment blew me away.
I think it’s worth mentioning that the Dunkirk passage, though technically fantastic, is great for another reason: it’s not a gimmick. It’s not there to get nods for being a 2 minute take, it actually does say something about what’s going on at the moment, but also at what going on in Robbie’s heart.
And lets not forget the amazingly edited library scene that had me breathing hard even though it barely showed me anything. It’s not quite as profound as Kurt’s favourite (!) but it’s right up there with some of the best edited I’ve seen.
I can’t wait to get into more of a spoilerific discussion of the film. Fantastic.
Agree. Four star effort might be hasty, but certainly you’ve go to admit that the film went over the top, in terms of greatness, with the closing sequence.
LOVED it.
I’ll be checking this one out tomorrow. After reading your review, I can’t wait!
Oooppps, then Marina wouldn’t like it if I say I only thought it was a 3.5 effort. Have to agree with you about the Dunkirk passage though.
Let me join the love-in. I wouldn’t give it five stars, and actually come to think of it I don’t even think it is making my top ten… but I really like this film. I take some issue with the fact that it is in some way an improvement on Wright’s Pride and Prejudice… a film I have perhaps seen more than any other (due to my wife’s infatuation with it)… P&P was flawless, and it was from seeing that film that I realized Wright was a force to reckon with.
I would love to hear some opinions of people who read the book because it was supposed to be unfilmable… yet I think it was pulled off nicely.
Hi there rot, if your wife loved Wright’s P&P, which I thought was a good adaptation condensing it to 2 hours, then I also recommend that she should check out BBC’s Pride & Prejudice production starring Jennifer Ehle & Colin Firth that is, if she doesn’t mind a full adaptation.
I bought her it for christmas a while ago and she didn’t like it as much as Wrights. I know a lot of people who live by that adapatation but I find it a bit clunky… what I like about Wright’s version is it situates you in a 360 degree Jane Austen world… there are scenes like the ballroom one where the camera just floats around taking in all the details… it appreciates the voyeuristic draw of the Austen novels, that those reading want to be embedded in that sort of alternate world… it is not merely about telling a story
I know a lot of people who live by that adaptation
Like me actually!
I do love BBC’s production of P&P, and was even quite indignant when I first heard that they are doing a film version with Miss Knightley playing Lizzie. I thought she pouted and smiled a lot, which is just so NOT the Lizzie Bennett Jane Austen desrcibed. But anyway, Wright’s adaptation turned alright after all, but I will pick BBC’s P&P anytime.
What did the wife think about Becoming Jane rot?
She is swooning for James MacAvoy in anything he is in now… so yeah she ate that up as well.
I am looking forward to actually reading some Jane Austen shortly… think I will start with Persuasion.
But really: Colin Firth’s Darcy does not light a candle to the one in Wright’s film…
fightin words…
Oh come on now! Macfadyen over Firth? Youre not serious are you? Firth is the quintessential Mr. Darcy! (Again that is my opinion and I really should respect yours rot, so peace!)
Ah James McAvoy, I love him too. Wow, a man wanting to read Jane Austen, that’s refreshing! There’s a 1995 BBC production of Persuasion starring Ciaran Hinds & Amanda Root, and although there’s a 2007 remake, dont bother with it as it’s utter tosh. I suggest you and your dear wife go see the 1995 version after you have read the book. I am guessing she has read it?
Let me assume that you have both seen or plan to see The Jane Austen Book Club? In case you’re interested, please visit my blog and I still have the review of that film on the main page.
Totally agree Simone. Though Macfadyen was fine, Firth is the quintessential embodiment of Mr. Darcy (to the point where he’s been typecast as that sort of cold, emotionally hidden character in a whole load of other films). That said, I still really enjoyed Wrights take on P&P and though the BBC version is still “the” high bar, Wright’s film is an excellent achievement and a great alternative when you’re pressed for time.
“Becoming Jane” was trash. I remember liking very little of that film (though I still plan to give it another viewing namely because of a very handsome and talented young man) and “The Jane Austen Book Club” was better than I anticipated. Not great, but certainly worth checking out. Oddly enough, the central male character in that movie (Hugh Dancy) hasn’t starred in any Austen adaptations but he looks like he’d fit right in…
There are two sacred texts that a man can poke fun of and guarentee to receive the ire of women: Pride and Pejudice and (at least in Canada) Anne of Green Gables.
Firth is a bit stodgy… that scene in the rain with MacFadyen, didn’t that convert you? It made me question my sexuality!
Surprisingly my wife missed the Jane Austen Book Club but she was determined to see it.
I couldn’t be bothered with that!
Ok. OK. You just made me blush a little with the mention of the rain scene. WOWWWWEEEEEEEEE.
One of the reasons I like Wright’s P&P is that it’s so romanticized. The BBC version is much more prim and proper and Firth’s Darcy is, for me, a better embodiment of Austen’s Mr. Darcy but from a personal point of view, Macfadyen is a much sexier, modern version of the character.
*sigh*
I’m going to have to throw this into the DVD player tonight.
@ rot – and yes, you’re right on about “Anne of Green Gables”. Just the mention of Montgomery means instant brownie points. I remember all of those made for TV movies had my mom entranced.
so all you single guys out there: learn your Jane Austen and Anne of Green Gables!
that scene in the rain with MacFadyen, didn’t that convert you? It made me question my sexuality!
I couldnt stop laughing after reading this comment Rot, youre insane!
I have to say that I did like Macfadyen, in the tv show called Spooks but not as Darcy. It’s always been Colin Firth for me, I guess I like my men stodgy!
Now Marina, say Hugh Dancy’s name one more time and I’ll scream! Yum.
Hugh Dancy
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
LOL @ Marina.
I’ve got another guy for you actually, check out Richard Armitage from BBC’s North & South, and he’s also in the new Robin Hood series. Double yum.
WOW!
I had to look him up but I notice he was in a TV version of Macbeth with James McAvoy?!?!?!
I’m going to see if I can track this down…
I really do not understand the allure of James McAvoy… he is a scrawny unremarkable looking guy… it must be the accent.
I like to see real guys portrayed in chick flicks… the bloke factor amped up with McFadyen and Clive Owen.
For me, it depends on the flick. I tend to like my guys a little more pensive (thought you’d never be able to tell from seeing the hockey player I’m married to!)
don’t get me started on hockey… that is a thinking-man’s sport.
MacAvoy may not be a “hottie,” but his acting prowess in Atonement is well deserved of the accolades he’s been getting. Should be a Oscar nod for certain.
~ For Your Consideration ~
~ Zodiac ~
BEST PICTURE
MacAvoy may not be a “hottie,” but his acting prowess in Atonement is well deserved
I second that Drew.
James McAvoy is a brilliant actor, did you not see him in The Last King of Scotland? Or in Starter for Ten? What about The Chronicles of Narnia when he played the faun Mr. Tumnus – the man is a chameleon! I just saw the trailer for Penelope and it looks like I am going to love that film too!
Marina!!! I have not seen that version of Macbeth where they were together, but it’s added in my rental queue. You have to tell me what you think of Armitage after youve seen it okay?
“but certainly you’ve go to admit that the film went over the top, in terms of greatness, with the closing sequence.”
I have a dissenting opinion here – I’ll get to that in a second.
I really enjoyed the film overall, and it has some of the best cinematography of the year – the scenes on the beach especially, just following around through the singers, the people fighting, the guy hanging from the ferris wheel – just superb.
The first half of the story has a stronger arc than the war story, but its not bad at all. I thought Romola Garai had the stronger performance as 18 year old Briony, rather than McAvoy or Knightley.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ending though – since after every major scene between the three main characters we saw the alternate point of view, during Briony’s confession my ‘twist ending’ alarm started going off – and sure enough we cut ahead to the future. Now – I have no problem with a twist happening, nor do I have a problem with the events that occur in this twist – if you want to call it that – however considering the artfulness and pacing of the rest of the film, this final scene seemed so quick and abrupt, relying on narration to reveal what actually happened over the images – I thought it robbed a whole lot of the emotional weight of what we were supposed to be feeling… I have ways in my head of redoing that scene I won’t bother anyone with, but basically I just think it was way too abrupt a way to handle it – to me it amounted to “by the way, none of that really happened and I’ve been living with regrets for 55 years and now i’m dying too” – I mean come on, let us bask in the pain a little bit here – they spent this amount of time building it up and they tear it all down in way too short a time.
It certainly wasnt anywhere near enough to ruin the movie, and in fact I dont outright HATE the ending, I just don’t feel it boosted the film at all.
alright, so my previous comment disappeared. shit.
Basically I didnt like the ending as much as Andrew did at all. I thought it was too abrupt at tearing down the lives of the characters that they built up. But i can go into detail about that later.
Anyways saw this link from the Womens Film Critics Circle:
http://moviecitynews.com/awards/2008/critics/women.html
they put this movie in their ‘hall of shame’ for its depiction of women. what the fuck?
@ Simone – I’ll try but I can’t find it listed in my rental provider list of films. I may have to search it out online.
@ Andrew – And he IS a hottie. Big time sex appeal.
@ Goon – Atonement making hall of shame – I’ve got a couple of words about that. I’ll post them at some point in the next day or so.
differing thoughts:
SPOILER!!!!!!!!!!!!
SPOILER………..
SPOILER………..
At first I was like, “what!? They all fuckin died? Lame ending that makes me feel like shit. But then she goes on to add this little idea of a “gift” left in her book and it shows them how they should’ve been. I just liked that added touch of the author telling the world that they lived happily ever after even though they didn’t – sort of as a legacy to what should’ve been had she not made the accusation. But because we’re privvy to this interview, we get the real story. Then the order in which it’s told so that we sort of do get a happy ending was great. We’re left with that final shot of them living in their cabin, not of a final shot of death and sadness. It’s perfect. Had they really lived happily ever after it would’ve been cheesy, corny and cliche. Had they both died, it would’ve been lame. This is the ending of the author having his cake and being able to eat it too. No other film has done this this way.
Not only that, but the way Redgrave delivers the news is unbelievably moving and believable.
On the one hand I think Goon has a point: I thought the ending came a bit ubruptly and wrapped things up too quickly especially, after you already mentioned, they spend the entire time up until then telling us what apparently happened. On the other hand, I too think the fact that it ends on a bitter sweet note is the best way to go. Had it been all death and despair, it would have been heralded as too sappy and grim but had the ending been happy happy joy joy, folks would have complained that it was sugar coated. Wright’s choice (and I’m not sure if the same applied to the novel because I’ve never read it), is not only a happy medium but it’s also the most believable of the three. But Andrew, you’re right on – the fact that it closes with such a beautiful scene (that felt to me like it was hyper sensual because we’d seen so little of the lovers together), sealed the deal for me.
“Then the order in which it’s told so that we sort of do get a happy ending was great.”
I thought it actually made the ending MORE sad, the author sees it as her atonement, but does writing about it really actually make up for anything to anyone but herself? I mean, to me its like fucking over your friends, and then making peace with God about it. I mean yeah fine, you realize what you did was wrong, but that doesn’t absolve yourself. Basically my idea of retribution/repayment don’t really align with Present Day Briony’s.
Briony sees the book as a gift, but now that she makes it public what REALLY happened, don’t you think that many of her fans who thought they were reading an autobiographical book would look at it completely differently? At least a certain percentage will – I mean look what happens anytime they change the details in a biopic.
Anyways, THAT doesnt make me feel negatively towards the film – but if I was supposed to feel uplifted by her gesture it didn’t work on me.
just so its clear, i’m not upset because up until then we were told exactly what happened. I’m not upset that she made up this fake ending for Robbie and Cecilia, I’m not upset about the storytelling at all, whether you interpret the very end as sadder or bittersweet or happy/sappy.
It again is all a matter of just how quickly its all revealed, and with narration over top. Redgrave is narrating as we see Robbie and Cecilia die – the weight of that revelation is decreased because of it. And she has to spell it out so bluntly for us that their future together was her gift… it just lacked the subtlety and grace the rest of the film had. There had to have been a more adept way to show this alternate reality rather than this future Briony spelling it out to me like I wouldnt otherwise be able to guess what happened. Its fine to me that it all ties back to the beginning and that she became an author, but her book being called Atonement and the explicitness of her revelations, well it made a straightforward story a hell of a lot more into a postmodern meta-fiction, and I didn’t like that. That’s not the movie I was watching for the first 1 hour and 57 minutes.
btw Marina, looking forward to your comment on the Womens Film Critics Circle. the list as a whole feels a bit ridiculous. Specialized awards (and I hope people dont find this racist bc i dont intend it to be, but this includes the Image Awards) seem a bit shallow and insulting, that you define the best movies according to how a race or gender is perceived. I’m extremely pro gay rights but if the gay community put out an awards list based on how gays are portrayed, I’d find it just as strange.
I remember seeing an actual televised awards SHOW years ago giving awards for best movies based on how negatively drugs are portrayed. Winners included the Salton Sea, and that fucking Heartbreakers movie starring Jennifer Love Hewitt got a shitload of awards because it made the smoking character portrayed by Gene Hackman a sick coughing loser.
Ha Goon! We’re on the same wavelength, I sent that Hall of Shame to Marina for her thoughts around noon. They also put Gone Baby Gone there. I’m not sure what their agenda is, but I smell Political Correct BS wafting thru the room.
no kidding.
I mean, I’ve actually CONTRIBUTED artwork to feminist magazines like Bitch and Venus, but when I see people lose their shit over characters in fucking SUPERBAD, I sense someone is a little fucking too uptight for their own good.
Finally caught this today, and after I saw that you gave this FIVE STARS, I avoided anything that had to do with this like the plague (for those that don’t know, I’m obsessive compulsive about not reading reviews before I watch a movie and I like to go into them with as few of spoilers as possible).
And gimmick or not, that long shot during the Dunkirk passage was absolutely jaw-dropping, especially having no clue that it was coming.
The movie itself? I loved it, but it didn’t quite crack my top ten, which isn’t to discredit it any – on any other random year, it probably would have made it, but this has been a very strong year overall.
And how fricking great is that final 15 minutes? Not only is Redgrave brilliant, but it absolutely makes the entire film and changes all the notions you previously had up until that point. #4 on my top 10.
I’m probably going to be the lone dissenter here but I actually didn’t enjoy Atonement too much. I hated the beach scene plus I also have bit of a dislike for Kiera Knightley.
I think the movie just felt like it was trying to hard to give an emotional punch and this made it fall flat for me.
I won’t say its a bad movie but just a half decent mediocre one for me.
If I get there John, I suspect I may join you in the dissent. But it may be a little while. My personal DVD watching stack is a lot higher than normal these days. Going to go at it full-on in the coming months.
Rewatched last night and the 5 star rating stands. An exquisitely shot film with impeccable performances and screenplay. And that score! Wow!
One part Roger Deakins, one part Almodovar and one part Chanel, the film looks magnificent. It’s showy as all hell and that’s exactly what I love about it. It doesn’t hold its punches in scenes either. Simply stunning. 2007 kicked unholy ass in the theaters.
I have rewatched it about four times and absolutely, the movie is solid. We can pretend the Soloist never happened and hope Wright gets back to this sort of craftmanship with his next film.
@Andrew @mike Agreed!
I might have to rewatch; I found myself underwhelmed when I saw it. Partially because I’m not a fan of “soft” cinematography, even though it was well-done here, and partially because…I don’t know, it didn’t punch me in the gut the way the book did. I try not to be a book purist, but this film felt to me like it was doing the “so true to the book it can’t breathe as a film” thing. Yet at the same time, the war scenes were far less powerful in the film than in the book. But people who saw the film without having read the book didn’t seem to have that experience; maybe now with a few years between my experience of the book, I’ll be better able to appreciate the film.
The war scenes felt slightly artificial and heightened, and whether that was intentional or not, it worked for the story I thought. I didn’t read the book, my experience of the film was pure.
Yeah, they weren’t heightened and artificial in the book. Well, I guess I’ll say, they were a bit heightened in awareness, as you got the sense of Robbie being really disoriented in trying to make his way back from the front, and so there’s a level of abstraction there, but it’s also really gritty and harsh. The movie felt airbrushed in comparison. That’s actually a good word for how I felt about the whole movie – it all felt airbrushed, which in a way I suppose is a clue to the ending, but the style of the book worked better for me than the style of the movie. But again, not a fair assessment of the movie on its own terms, and I realize that.
the moral of the story is don’t read. That said we will all be chiming in on Never Let Me Go
I didn’t read the book either. But I would say that the actual war is almost irrelevant in the movie in terms of viewer impact. It’s more there as a backdrop and as a plot device. I don’t think there are any actual war scenes are there? It’s all aftermath and consequences stuff; which I quite enjoyed. Some of the hospital scenes can be wince inducing though.
The cinematography in this is enough to make me want to watch it again right now. but tack on everything else the movies does perfectly and I really have zero complaints about anything.
Mike, heh. I often intentionally watch the movie version before reading the book, because I find I’m better able to appreciate both that way. But in this case, the book was probably one of my top ten best reading experiences ever, and I wouldn’t trade learning the reveal fresh while reading the book for anything, even if it means I’ll never be able to love the movie as much as someone who hadn’t read the book first.
Oh, and I also just finished reading Never Let Me Go. So…we’ll see how that turns out.
What are the chances – I bought this just today for $4 at Wal-Mart. I haven’t purchased a DVD in ages, but couldn’t pass this up, just so I can show that single-shot scene someday when I’m teaching.
I never read the book either so the film is all I have to go on.
Never Let Me Go is on the to read list. When my last Chapters order eventually arrives.
I agree with Kurt — the France (the middle) segment is fucking horrible. The film makes the mistake in asking the audience to sympathies with James MCavoy’s character moaning about his military service. Tough shit!
The beginning and the ending are astounding, though.