Romina’s Blog

Here it is… the long awaited film review for Atonement. Okay. Maybe not long awaited, but nonetheless… promised.

Where to begin with Atonement… How about a synopsis:
“Fledgling writer Briony Tallis, as a 13-year-old, irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister’s (Keira Knightley) lover (James McAvoy) of a crime he did not commit. Based on the British romance novel by Ian McEwan.”-imdb.com

Atonement is magical. Directed by Joe Wright, this film is a little box of treasures. Set in World War II, Atonement is not your average war film, but a strong romance that never amounts to anything.

This is truly one of Keira Knightley’s best performances. Her character is so true and real. She really allowed herself to be vulnerable with this role. The chemistry between her and her partner on screen, James McAvoy is fantastic. During the Q&A with James, he explained that Keira and him both attended ballroom dancing classes prior to shooting the film. Even though there are no dancing sequences in the film itself, it was done so that Keira and James could feel comfortable with each other and make their relationship appear believable on set. And I must say that it was flawless.

Joe Wright did an astounding job of incorporating the music with the film. The beats in each scene are precise and have their right moments. The editing is so incredible in this film that it is definitely noteworthy. The work that it must have taken is most definitely rewarding, because a work of art has been created with this film. The cinematography is so rich and impressive.

Saoirse Ronan does such a wonderful performance as Cecilia’s (Knightley) younger sister. She truly stands out from many young actresses. I believe that we can truly expect great work from her in the future.

I really do recommend this film to anyone. Atonement is a beautiful film and really deserves all of the credit that it is receiving.

Watch the trailer.