Amazon.co.uk Review

Atonement reunites Keira Knightley with her Pride & Prejudice director, Joe Wright, for the movie based on Ian McEwan’s book of the same name. The result? Once of the most widely acclaimed pictures of 2007.

Atonement tells the story of Cecilia Tallis (Knightley), and the housekeeper’s son, Robbie Turner (played by the increasingly prevalent James McAvoy). Set during the heat of 1935, their coming together and the ensuing drama brings in Cecilia’s thirteen-year old sister, Briony, whose actions prove to have far-reaching repercussions.

With a terrific cast and superb direction from the aforementioned Wright, it’s utterly understandable as to how Atonement has earned itself such praise. Diligently told, with some superb photography, Wright is blessed by terrific central performances by Knightley and McAvoy, both of whom have never been better. His trick also is to get the pacing of the film bang-on, taking his time to build up and layer events before he looks for any kind of pay off.

As a result, as Atonement heads into its latter stages, it proves itself as a top quality drama, with a real emotional punch. Furthermore, it’s one of the increasingly rare breed of films that sticks in your head for days after.

As a result, for once, it really is worth seeing what critics the world over have been raving about: Atonement really is something very special indeed. --Jon Foster

Lovely, tragic and not perfect (7. October 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 and think that atonement is one of his greatest novels. But, like all great tragedies (and believe me this is a tragedy), it leaves you with an empty feeling. The book manages to convey the deep erotic and almost painful love of C and Robbie in a way that was always going to be difficult to convey in a mainstream movie. So maybe that's where it falls down.

But. This is a beautifully shot movie with gorgeous backdrops, wonderful cinematography and a marvellous score. There are those who seem to have a gripe with Knightley and 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 and 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) and artistic licence with its literary origins. But for the rest of us. Sit back, feast and get the tissues out.

Thoroughly enjoyable, if ultimately tragic.

Missed opportunity (6. October 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 falling flat. Keira Knightley's character of Cecilia is particularly exasperating, and 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 and the ending abrupt and unsatisfactory.

Beautifully haunting, and hauntingly beautiful (25. September 2008)

What is up with all these 1, and 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, and 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 and Keria Knightley play the lovers Robbie Turner and Cecilia Tallis, who, upon finally admitting their feelings for each other are torn apart as Robbie is sent to prison for allegedly raping the Tallis' cousin Lola Quincey. However, Robbie was not guilty, and was only thought so because Cecilia's younger sister, Briony Tallis, jumped to the wrong conclusion. The remainder of the film tells of what happens to Robbie, Cecilia, and Tallis years after this event, and ultimatley, whether the lovers ever managed to be together and have the happy ending they deserved.

This film is achingly sad - all about lost opportunities, what may have been contrasted to what was, and how a single mistake can rip apart a person's entire life. 3 people suffered greatly at the hands of the lie, and 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 and this is probably my favourite perfromance by him - McAvoy acts with such subtlety and 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 (actually, I believe her acting in the POTC films is quite simply, dreadful), but she blew me away as Cecilia Tallis - 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 drastically, 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 Tallis - it is one of those instances where you don't even realise this is an actor playing a part - she was entirely believable and 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, and 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) and even a perfect soundtrack. Faultless. And beautiful. Watch it now.

Absolute tosh (27. August 2008)

This film is boring and badly acted especially by Miss Knighty. The story not clear and 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 and 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 all, stay at home with your feet up and watch paint drying its more fun honest!

A very strange film (26. August 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 really isn't much of a plot so no chance of a spoiler) are examined in great detail - and 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 and 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 and 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 and 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 and then you are left with a final shot of someone, entirely unsatisfactorily, explaining why.

It is worth renting for the cinematography and performances but don't try to think about it too much. It just doesn't stand up to any kind of scrutiny.