Atonement

Rating: ****/5

‘Atonement’, based on a novel by Ian McEwan, is the tragic story of how Briony Tallis, a thirteen-year-old with a runaway imagination ruins the lives of her sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and her lover, Robbie Turner when she accuses him of rape. Cecilia becomes estranged from her family as she insists on awaiting the return of Robbie, while Robbie is given a choice of prison vs the infantry. Meanwhile, Briony realises the horrifying ramifications of what she’d done as she grows up and spends most of her life doing penance as a nurse in the world war.

‘Atonement’ is her final act of kindness for the star-crossed lovers, Robbie dies of septicaemia a day before British troops returned to homeland while Cecilia dies in a railway bombing. She seeks not for forgiveness but to tell the truth and to give the couple a fairy tale ending, something she owed them.

The cinematography is remniscent of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ but it is unable to achieve the same level of beauty. The attempts at artistic flare with music accompanying the sound of type writing was a laudable effort if not for the atrocity of the situation it was used for - the fuelling of a fertile and farfetched imagination of the young Briony - I still cannot get over the mortification on her face over the four-letter coarse word used to describe a certain part of a woman’s anatomy. Heh. ‘The Hours’ by Stephen Daldry was a much more perfect production.

Overall, I would say it was really an awfully sad film, judging by the copious tears shed by fellow movie goer. Sigh. I have to admit I was a bit bored by Briony’s over-reaction and ridiculous over-acting at the start that I fell asleep, but I did cry a bit towards the end… Sob Sob. Overall, a worthwhile watch, and look out for the luscious green gown!!! Woot!