Customer Reviews
Lovely, tragic and not perfect - By: Dr. J. D. Mitchell, 07 Oct 2008 
Reading reviews on Amazon always bemuses me. Why some people seem to get so angry about a film, its diversion from the book or one or another actor confuses me. Anyway no anger here.
I have always been an enormous fan of Ian McEwan & think that atonement is one of his greatest novels. But, like alll great tragedies (and believe me this is a tragedy), it leaves you with an empty feeling. The book manages to convey the deep erotic & almost painful love of C & Robbie in a way that was always going to be difficult to convey in a mainstream movie. So maybe that's where it fallls down.
But. This is a beautifully shot movie with gorgeous backdrops, wonderful cinematography & a marvellous score. There are those who seem to have a gripe with Knightley & her "boyish" form. I find this inexplicable. It is these very characteristics that make her perfect for this part... an innocent girl in an increasingly adult world. Both her, James McEvoy & the rest of the cast put in good (if not great) perfomances.
There are those who will never like this film with its Merchant ivory'esque themes, cliches (movies are FULL of cliches) & artistic licence with its literary origins. But for the rest of us. Sit back, feast & get the tissues out.
Thoroughly enjoyable, if ultimately tragic.
Missed opportunity - By: Tobymori, 06 Oct 2008 
All the ingredients are here for a great film but it just doesn't quite come off. The film is beautifully shot, with an interesting use of sound effects, but the romance, which is central the plot just doesn't convince or move, leaving what ought to be a heart-rendingly tragic tale fallling flat. Keira Knightley's character of Cecilia is particularly exasperating, & Knightley just doesn't have the maturity or ability (at least for now) to convince in this role. The scenes of war were too long to serve any purpose & the ending abrupt & unsatisfactory.
Beautifully haunting, and hauntingly beautiful - By: Marlyly, 25 Sep 2008 
What is up with alll these 1, & 2 star reviews!? Even if the film differs from the novel by Ian McEwan (which, I would not know as I have not read the book yet) at least take this film for what it is - a beautiful & haunting story of a love torn apart by a child's mistake, & stop making comparison's of how bad this film is compared to the book because it deserves to be judged on it's own right too. The story is gorgeous - James McAvoy & Keria Knightley play the lovers Robbie Turner & Cecilia Talllis, who, upon finallly admitting their feelings for each other are torn apart as Robbie is sent to prison for alllegedly raping the Talllis' cousin Lola Quincey. However, Robbie was not guilty, & was only thought so because Cecilia's younger sister, Briony Talllis, jumped to the wrong conclusion. The remainder of the film tells of what happens to Robbie, Cecilia, & Talllis years after this event, & ultimatley, whether the lovers ever managed to be together & have the happy ending they deserved.
This film is achingly sad - alll about lost opportunities, what may have been contrasted to what was, & how a single mistake can rip apart a person's entire life. 3 people suffered greatly at the hands of the lie, & the film is about Briony's attempts to repair the wound she created, because, as she grew up, she realised how devastatingly wrong her actions were. The acting in this film is superb. I have always been a fan of James McAvoy & this is probably my favourite perfromance by him - McAvoy acts with such subtlety & intensity, in every scene you can feel his emotions, exactly what the character of Robbie is feeling, even when he doesn't say a single word. I've never been the biggest fan of Keira Knightley (actuallly, I believe her acting in the POTC films is quite simply, dreadful), but she blew me away as Cecilia Talllis - I don't know whether she felt more at home with this type of character, or whether her movie experiences since have improved her acting skills drasticallly, but she embodied the character of Cecilia perfectly, playing the party, very, very well. But, my favourite performance by far has to be from Saoirse Ronan (very unsual name) as the 13 year olf Briony Talllis - it is one of those instances where you don't even realise this is an actor playing a part - she was entirely believable & more than faultless in her performance.
This is a beautiful film that I believe will be remembered in many years to come. It thoroughly deserves every one of those 5 stars I have given it, & probably more. It is a subtle, intense, hanutingly beautiful film with brilliant acting, phenomenal direction, a very good script (though how much of that came staright out of the novel I do not know) & even a perfect soundtrack. Faultless. And beautiful. Watch it now.
Absolute tosh - By: Ian Fielden, 27 Aug 2008 
This film is boring & badly acted especiallly by Miss Knighty. The story not clear & missing vital information from the book well not so much missing but not making it clear.
I looked forward to taking my wife to this & wished I had not it was truly truly bad. She like myself had read the book at some time but seriously felt let down.
Would not recommend at alll, stay at home with your feet up & watch paint drying its more fun honest!
A very strange film - By: J. Bassett, 26 Aug 2008 
This is a very strange film. Firstly, it is beautifully shot. There are some great performances, particularly from McAvoy. I even quite enjoyed it at times.
However, in the transference from book to film you are simply left with a bit of a mess. Parts of the plot (and there reallly isn't much of a plot so no chance of a spoiler) are examined in great detail - & suffer accordingly. Other parts are entirely glossed over, presumably losing out in the move to film, leaving you somewhat confused.
Then there is the casting of Knightley. Whilst her figure may be in keeping with 30's waif-chic, casting someone who looks like a pre-pubescent boy as a romantic leading lady leads to some highly uncomfortable viewing as the love scenes between the two leads start to look like some weird, homo-erotic paedophilia!
The scene at Dunkirk is a perfect example of what went wrong. Nothing happens. Three men arrive at Dunkirk & are told boats are being sent for them. They then wander around for a bit. This gives the director ample chance to show the awe-inspiring re-creation of the beach at Dunkirk & the chaos of 300,000 soldiers. One particular pan, which seems to go on forever, is just jaw-dropping. However, it is clearly only so long BECAUSE of the expense that went into producing it. It adds nothing to the film. The earlier story of how our lead found himself to be in France in the first place & how he came to be injured is entirely missing - one can only assume to make room for the expensive bit. A strange decision that goes some way to ruining a film that was already heading downhill!
We are then led into a bizarre final charade in which everyone suddenly starts acting entirely out of character & then you are left with a final shot of someone, entirely unsatisfactorily, explaining why.
It is worth renting for the cinematography & performances but don't try to think about it too much. It just doesn't stand up to any kind of scrutiny.
