Film Review: Atonement (2007)

Review:
Atonement (a•tone•ment), noun, [uh-tohn-muh nt] satisfaction or reparation for a wrong or injury; amends. This is what the word is defined as meaning according to www.dictionary.com. In the real word, it can have very grave consequences as is depicted in director Joe Wright's envisioning of the novel written by Ian McEwan. The setting is pre-world war II England, Europe (primarily France) during the war, and a studio stage 60 years later. Atonement is the story of young girl's naivety and how one bad choice can ruin the lives of others.

Briony Tallis is the innocent girl who sets thing in motion by accusing Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) that he molested a young girl who was staying at the family's estate. Earlier in the evening, it is revealed that Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie are in love with each other. They are discovered in a compromising position by Briony who earlier read a letter written by Robbie to Cecilia. Without getting into too much detail, two boys runaway from the house, are later found by Robbie, Briony stumbles upon her friend and an unknown older man fooling around in the brush, Briony tells the cops it was Robbie and he is sent to prison. Flash forward a couple years and WWII is in full swing. Robbie decides to join the war several years later rather than spending more time in jail.

Atonement follows the lives of our three central characters. Briony and her search for resolve, Cecilia and her longing to be with the man she loves, and Robbie who is thrust into a war with only to hope of reuniting with Cecilia. Three performers play the part of Briony: one actress as the 13 year old child, the second as an 18 year old nurse helping with the war wounded, and an older one played by Vanessa Redgrave. The acting is quite well done by all cast members. The set pieces fully depict pre-war England and Europe during the war. Will Robbie and Cecilia ever meet again or are they destined to never experience their love for one another.

Cut to 60 years later, and Briony is sitting on stage doing an interview with a man discussing her latest novel. They are talking about the release of her 21st book. We learn this will be her last story because she is dying. What we learn here is that most of what happened to Robbie and Cecilia was a lie. Both died during the war and were never reunited. They never got to fulfill their love for one another. Briony, in her infinite wisdom, sought to give them the story book life they were denied. Although she is remorseful for telling the lie 60 years ago, she never reconciled the matter with the police. Somehow she feels vindicated of her crime because she put them in her book. So, essentially, she is capitalizing on their demise which she was directly to blame.

In the end, two of the three main characters were dead all this time. Briony, the true criminal lived to a ripe old age even though she was so very very very very sorry for what she did. Despite the hubbub, Atonement was worth the watch. If you like the British style drama with a few twists here and there, I would recommend you take the time to catch this one if the opportunity presents itself.

Mike's Rating: 8 out of 10 Hospital nurses (Oh so British drama)
MPAA Rating: Rated R for disturbing war images, language, and some sexuality
Running Time: 2 hour 10 minutes