HottWwjdIam
There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.
Lachlan Coulson
This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.
Zandra
The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
Walter Sloane
Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.
velianne-87204
In the 1930s English countryside, young Briony, an aspired writer with great imagination, just added the final touches to her first ever play. She waits for her cousins' arrival to stage it with them and show it to her family, including her older sister Cecilia, and house employees. However, she is mostly exited to show it to Robbie, the house gardener, for whom she has developed a crush on. Briony is unaware that Robbie's heart is already taken by Cecilia, who reciprocates the feelings. Their relationship successfully remains a secret to everyone until one day a particular incident crashes the peaceful days of the Tallis household and triggers a series of events that will leave consequent scars on the characters.The movie is a two-hour long flashback seen at most times from the point of view of Briony, that we see growing from a young, naïve and selfish 13-year-old girl, to a more mature young women, and finally to a wise but regretful old lady. Everything within the plot revolves around the mistakes Briony has committed when she was younger and how she needs to understand them and to cope with their consequences as an adult, taking her on a journey towards personal development. The purity of Robbie and Cecilia's love is also very touching. Moreover, the way the movie is filmed is esthetically breathtaking, with a lot of beautiful and complex shots such as the Dunkirk beach one take scene. If the original soundtrack of Atonement won an Oscar it is also for a reason. Indeed, the music fits extremely well with each scenes of the movie and truly brings it to life. Some very well composed tracks include one of the first of the film which is made using the noises of Robbie's typing machine, and the long track which accompanies him during the Dunkirk scene and manages to this scene all its power. Finally, what also truly makes this movie worthwhile is the final twist, along with the very emotionally packed final scene.
Atonement is therefore a very well executed movie whose beauty and uniqueness rests on its narration, its twist and turns, its complex characters and their development, its breathtaking cinematography and its original soundtrack. I highly recommend this movie to everyone but beware of some hard topics that are evoked in it.
bibliub
And that typewriter sound. the music is bad enough without that patronizing, embarrassing gesture to "remind" us about the fictitious version of the account... wow, what a visionary move lol
merelyaninnuendo
AtonementWithin few minutes you will fall in this world i.e. so beautiful and horrific at the same time with the help of probably one of the best background score of all time (it may remind you of Birdman's background music). Atonement is the perfect mixture of two antonyms for when there is beauty in it one feels full of hope but when it gets dark, it may get difficult to digest the practicality of it. Hats off to Joe Wright, in its such a beautiful depiction of love, pettiness and consequences of ones action, by justifying each and every frame and character of it with a mild but dark tone. James McAvoy and Keira Knightly oozes vulnerability and strength at the same time, doing some of their best work with the help of brilliant supporting cast like Saoirse Ronan. Atonement steals the show in excellent execution, brilliant writing and stellar performances all wrapped up in one of the most dreadful and heartbreaking love story ever.
begob
At a gathering in a country house a jealous little girl intervenes in her sister's love life, and things will never be the same ...From an interesting novel that had an engrossing first half but, for me, trailed off in the second. So I had a different experience with the film adaptation, where the country house scenes are not quite satisfying but the following war story is brilliantly told. The narrator is a fascinating little character, but looking back I think her motivation needed to be colder and her atonement more problematic. In the end the story is wrapped up with a talking head, which I guess was unavoidable but not the mark of a great movie.The long tracking shot on the beach at Dunkirk is amazing - not only a technical marvel (the amount of ground covered, the multiple interactions) but it creates a great sense of chaos and despair.Performances are good, and it's no wonder people raved about Ronan. The music is excellent and plays about with the rhythm of a tapping type writer. Photography too, although I didn't get the sense of oppressive heat in the first act.Overall: interesting and impressive, but some big flaws.