Life > January 17, 2008

By Kara Percuccioo | Life editor

Atonement is a gripping and heart breaking love story set against the backdrop of World War II. James McAvoy and Keira Knightley prove their talents and their performances will surely keep them on the Hollywood scene for years to come.

The film begins on a hot summer’s day in the beautiful English countryside at the wealthy Tallis family’s estate.

The youngest daughter, Briony, played by Irish newcomer Saoirse Ronan, is hard at work writing her first play to commemorate older brother Leon’s visit with chocolate magnate, Paul Marshall.

His homecoming coincides with the arrival of the Northern cousins, Lola and twins Jackson and Pierrot, who are staying with the Tallis’ while their parents finalize a scandalous divorce.

All of these minor elements lead to the film’s main storyline: the romance between Briony’s older sister, Cecilia (Knightley) and the housekeeper’s son, Robbie Turner (McAvoy). Cecilia is beautiful but bored by lounging around, smoking and reading a book without enjoyment.

She and Robbie, despite being childhood friends, travel in separate circles and are very awkward when around each other.

Briony witnesses one of their encounters from her window: she sees Robbie ordering her sister to take off her clothes and jump into a fountain.

Briony misinterprets the event and becomes convinced that something terrible has happened.

The film shifts to Robbie and Cecilia’s viewpoint and viewers learn the truth.

They argue and something changes after she gets out of the water.

The movie shifts to Robbie writing an apology letter and in a rough draft, types one containing a vulgar word.

He mistakenly places this one in an envelope and asks Briony to deliver it to Cecilia.

She reads the letter and after giving it to her sister, tells cousin Lola of the letter, who advises her to tell the police.

Cecilia realizes that she and Robbie are in love and they make love in the library.

Briony interrupts them and she believes it is an attack, firmly cementing her idea that Robbie is a sex-crazed maniac.

The twins run away after dinner and while searching for them, Briony discovers Lola being raped.

She is convinced the rapist was Robbie and tells the police she saw him committing the terrible crime.

Robbie is sent to prison and the first act of the film ends.

The second act begins four years later with Robbie traveling across France to Dunkirk where the British army is evacuating.

The film flashes back to after his release from prison when he and Cecilia meet for tea.

In the present, Robbie arrives at Dunkirk and witnesses the chaos and confusion of the evacuation in a brilliantly shot scene.

It’s heartbreaking when Robbie searches for a drink amid the ruin and later falls asleep dreaming of his arrest probably for the millionth time.

The film goes to London where Briony Tallis, now eighteen (played by Romola Garai) is a nurse at an army hospital.

She is severe and looks as though she carries a tremendous secret.

After coming from a surprising wedding, the two sisters meet for the first time in many years.

Briony promises to fix her mistake: her lie about Robbie raping Lola.

The ending is superb when we see the successful author, Briony Tallis, now played by Vanessa Redgrave, talking on a television show about her final book entitled Atonement.

Her interview reveals some startling facts about what really happened to her loved ones in what she calls her first book.

While one expects Atonement to be a typical romantic drama, it is anything but.

The film is layered and will take more than one viewing to fully comprehend the tragedy of that summer’s day and the young girl’s foolish lie.

James McAvoy really shines as the wronged soldier and commands every scene.

He conveys a wide spectrum of emotions and one feels sorry that his life was ruined.

Keira Knightely successfully plays the bitter sister who refuses to abandon the love of her life.

McAvoy and Knightley have great chemistry and are very believable as the star-crossed pair.

Of the three Briony’s, Ronan is fantastic as the young, spiteful girl who would rather live in her fantasies than the real world.

Director Joe Wright’s impressive second film also boasts gorgeous music, costume and cinematography.

As a huge fan of Ian McEwan’s novel, the film is very true to the story despite minor changes in the ending.

I first heard about the movie in February of last year and waited almost a year to see it.

The wait was worth it and, given its recent win for best dramatic picture at the Golden Globes, Atonement should be a contender come Oscar time.