Atonement

Atonement, meaning the process of forgiving, also happens to be the name of Joe Wright’s latest film, based on Ian McEwan’s Booker Prize winning novel.  This is only Wright’s second feature film, the first being an adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic Pride And Prejudice. The film garnered him a lot of recognition, namely four Oscar nominations (including Best Actress). Not bad for a first feature film, right? So it’s not surprising that his second film Atonement has generated Oscar buzz. With a solid cast including the likes of golden girl Keira Knightley, James McCavoy and the incomparable Vanessa Redgrave, Wright can’t go wrong.

The film opens with shot of a young of Briony Tallis’ (Saoirse Ronan) as she furiously types out the last act of her play. It’s the hottest day of 1935 in England and the affluent Tallis family is congregating for the weekend. This is the very weekend where Briony’s older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) finally realises her love for the housekeeper’s son, Robbie (James McAvoy). Through a series of deluded misapprehension coupled with Briony’s vivid imagination – everyone’s lives are forever changed. Briony accuses Robbie of a crime he didn’t commit and is sent to jail, eventually forced to serve the rest of his sentence by enlisting in the army. The rest of the film follows the separate but inexplicably linked lives of Briony, Cecilia and Robbie over several decades, with heartbreaking conclusions.

Although Atonement is a period piece, Wright’s interpretation manages to remain contemporary enough for modern day audiences in its war-torn examination of love, pain, betrayal and, of course, atonement. Wright and his technical team were very meticulous in presenting each time period, giving it a sense of authenticity. Cinematographer Seamus McCarvey did an exquisite job of capturing the dreamlike and fantastical Tallis estate and later artfully transitioning to the dark and frenetic setting of the aftermath of World War II. The film’s score is brilliant especially when it pulses with clever typewriter clacking sounds during tensed moments. Keira Knightley portrayal is refreshingly understated while James McCavoy’s performance and intensity is unshakeable and definitely one to watch out for. Atonement examines the power of truth and fiction within a powerful love story and it will definitely get you scrambling for a box of tissues.

Cast James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Romola Garai Director Joe Wright Runtime 130 mins Opens 27 December

Text Didi Ramlan