This brilliant film was up for Best Picture this year. I have seen 2 other nominees (No Country for Old Men and Michael Clayton) and have the other two (There Will Be Blood and Juno) at the top of my Netflix list, but unless the latter duo show me something outstanding, I believe that Atonement was robbed of its Oscar.
From the exceptional best selling novel by Ian McEwan comes this story of lies, lust, life and love set in England at the outset of WWII.
Young Briony (wonderful newcomer Saoirse Ronan) is a fledgling storyteller.
She is busy putting together a play for her and her cousins to put on for her brother, who is returning home after a long abscense and bringing a friend (a chocolate factory tycoon) for dinner.
Meanwhile, older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) is trying her best not to show any emotion towards Robbie (James McAvoy), the lower-class son of one of their servants. It is obvious they have feelings towards each other but are fighting them, greatly without success. The flirtacious glances and playful banter between the two underlies the passion yearning to get out. It will have its chance.
Briony, with her own childish crush on Robbie, witnesses a few separate incidents that occur between he and Cecilia, and misinterprets them with grave, irreversible results, setting in motion a series of events that condemn the relationships of all involved. Once this is done, there is no going back.
Making amends just doesn't appear to be possible, and Briony sets out to attempt some semblance of restitution. When the war eventually starts, she becomes a nurse, thinking that helping others will somehow absolve her of the lies she has unfortunately been living with. She busies herself in secret, still typing away her stories, one of which turns out to be the story she is indeed telling in real time.
Cecilia, also a nurse but far removed (physically as well as emotionally) from her family, is waiting Robbie's return from the war-front. Briony's mistakes have cost her her happiness and there is no forgiveness to be given. Cecilia has always believed in and attested to Robbie's reputation. They are rabidly in love and miserably separated by war.
Robbie, an unfortunate victim of deceit and false accusations, is observed in the living hell that was Dunkirk. He dreams of reuniting with Cecilia, and their letters back and forth ache with the longing that they just have to be together again.
To tell more would be a sin, as reading the book or seeing the film are experiences you need to go into not knowing the whole heart of the story. There is so much sadness you'll almost wonder why on earth you started watching it.... but you just can't take your eyes off this tour de force of melodrama and depth of emotion.
The ending, like the book, has reason to provoke and maybe anger even the most jaded of individuals - leaving you wanting so much more. And yet, it seems perfect.
Perfectly unreasonable.
Almost makes me permanently bent out of shape.
Any movie that can evoke that much emotion in me is a keeper.
The only thing left I can say is: watch it and decide for yourself.
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