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All Movie Info
Starring:
Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Romola Garai, Saoirse Ronan, Brenda Blethyn, Vanessa Redgrave, Juno Temple, Nonso Anozie, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michelle Duncan, Daniel Mays, Gina McKee, Anthony Minghella, Jeremie Renier, Richard Waller, Harriet Walter, Alfie Allen, Paul Henderson, Thomas Rooke, Andrew Appleyard, Jamie Beamish, Robert Alan Bishop, Vivienne Gibbs, Richard Glaves, Jack Harcourt, Patrick Kennedy, Thomas Rooke, Richard Sutton, Charlie von Simson, Felix von Simson, Ben Harcourt
Directed By:
Joe Wright
Written By:
Christopher Hampton
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Atonement (2007)
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Movie Review by Julie
April 16th, 2008
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I'll be the first to say it: I was NOT planning on seeing Atonement for one reason and one reason only: Keira Knightly. I just cannot stand her! From her voice, to her expressions, to her posture – I am not a fan. So, when my good friend Andrew invited me to go see Atonement with him, I was torn. Could a movie I am totally not excited about seeing actually turn out good? Well, I told Andrew I would go with him, and after a perfectly delicious Italian dinner we were sitting in the movie theater, Andrew waiting for some Keira Knightly hotness, I awaiting her disastrous presence.
Directed by Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice) and based on the novel by Ian McEwan, Atonement begins when the characters are all still young. Or, younger than they will be when the movie finishes. Cecilia (Knightly; Pirates of the Caribbean; Love Actually) and her younger sister Briony (Saoirse Ronan) befriend their family's gardener, Robbie (James McAvoy; The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Penelope) even though he is of a lower class. Soon, much to the disapproval of Briony, Cecilia and Robbie form a romantic liking to one another. Briony is so upset, that when a crime occurs one night in the woods of their home, she accuses Robbie of it, so he will be sent away, even though he is innocent. The lives of these three characters are greatly altered because of her lie and as the story unfolds, they grow up (Briony now played by Romola Garai; Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights; Amazing Grace) and secrets are revealed right up until the tragic, shocking end.
I cannot remember the last time I sat in the theater watching a film, while constantly thinking to myself, "wow, this is a great movie." Let me say it now: Atonement is a great movie. You can just tell that the director knew what every scene was supposed to look like even before they began shooting. The actors were perfectly placed, and every scene was flawless. Another perfect aspect of the film was the sound. Now, for some reason, I seem to have a heightened awareness of a movie's sound quality and this one was superb! Definitely robbed of an Academy Award nomination in this category. The movie begins with fantastic typewriter noises, sharp and clunky, and continues to amaze me until the lighter scene. After that lighter scene, my mind had been blown. Three swift sounds of a lighter opening, lighting and closing. Who knew a lighter made such great noises?! The sound was perfect. Then, we've got Briony swooshing a large branch around outside and we can faintly hear that windy, whizzing noise that fast things make.
Now, the cinematography. I am sitting in the theater and the scene I am watching is on a beach. There are wounded soldiers wandering aimlessly around old, rusty Ferris wheels and carousels. Robbie is there, also wandering. And we follow him. It sounds quite simple, actually. But it is also astounding. We are here, and then there, and then way over there and then back here, and then suddenly, up on a hill and we are looking out over every single place that we have just been. This complicated fairground doesn't seem so complicated anymore, because in five and a half minutes, we've seamlessly been everywhere that Robbie has been. I bet this is the clip they will show at the Oscars, and I predict that Seamus McGarvey will be taking home the gold statue. Other great tracking shots in movies I like include the "Tango Maureen" scene in Rent, and the "battle in the street" scene at the end of Children of Men.
Let's just say that when Andrew and I walked out of the movie theater, we both were super impressed. We had just seen a great film that was totally worth the seven or eight dollars. I would encourage you to go see it because I know that you would love it too! Or, we could all just wait until it comes out on DVD; and then we can watch it with director commentary!
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