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From Amazon.co.uk
Atonement reunites Keira Knightley with her Pride & Prejudice director, Joe Wright, for the movie based on Ian McEwan’s book of the same name. The result? Once of the most widely acclaimed pictures of 2007.
Atonement tells the story of Cecilia Tallis (Knightley), and the housekeeper’s son, Robbie Turner (played by the increasingly prevalent James McAvoy). Set during the heat of 1935, their coming together and the ensuing drama brings in Cecilia’s thirteen-year old sister, Briony, whose actions prove to have far-reaching repercussions.
With a terrific cast and superb direction from the aforementioned Wright, it’s utterly understandable as to how Atonement has earned itself such praise. Diligently told, with some superb photography, Wright is blessed by terrific central performances by Knightley and McAvoy, both of whom have never been better. His trick also is to get the pacing of the film bang-on, taking his time to build up and layer events before he looks for any kind of pay off.
As a result, as Atonement heads into its latter stages, it proves itself as a top quality drama, with a real emotional punch. Furthermore, it’s one of the increasingly rare breed of films that sticks in your head for days after.
As a result, for once, it really is worth seeing what critics the world over have been raving about: Atonement really is something very special indeed. --Jon Foster
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By Andy Millward
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
I personally found this a spellbinding movie, though I understand why critics would object. The literary origins are retained through the artifice of a structure essential to conceal the twist in the plot. The downside is that the film is somewhat stagey and stylised, though the author conceals shocks brilliantly. You are somehow aware of the artifice throughout, the reasons for which become apparent at the end.
The country house scenes look very chocolate box, and could easily have been the start of a familiar romantic drama of the Camomile Lawn ilk, but all is thrown into disarray in rapid succession by the use of a taboo word, an act of witnessed passion, the violent rape of a young girl and a false accusation.
What follows is the unfolding drama and the story of the atonement, told in several chapters and centred around the character Briony at three ages - 13, 18 and 77. To give each credit, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave each give a sparkling turn and look precisely like an older version of their younger selves. Ronan in particular makes a magical job of competing for screen time with the likes of McAvoy, Knightley, Cumberbatch, Kennedy and Walter - and frankly, wins hands down most of the time!
The finest set piece is however Dunkirk. There is a single, intricate shot weaving in and out of the huge and complex array of activity on the beach as McAvoy's Robbie and his two companions try to find their way around. This is masterly film-making and worth the price of the DVD on its own.
The denouement is left in the hands of Vanessa Redgrave, and what a smashing job she makes of it too. Fragile yet playful, wistful yet leaving no doubt of the sincerity of her regrets, this is a fine performance.... Read more ›
The country house scenes look very chocolate box, and could easily have been the start of a familiar romantic drama of the Camomile Lawn ilk, but all is thrown into disarray in rapid succession by the use of a taboo word, an act of witnessed passion, the violent rape of a young girl and a false accusation.
What follows is the unfolding drama and the story of the atonement, told in several chapters and centred around the character Briony at three ages - 13, 18 and 77. To give each credit, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave each give a sparkling turn and look precisely like an older version of their younger selves. Ronan in particular makes a magical job of competing for screen time with the likes of McAvoy, Knightley, Cumberbatch, Kennedy and Walter - and frankly, wins hands down most of the time!
The finest set piece is however Dunkirk. There is a single, intricate shot weaving in and out of the huge and complex array of activity on the beach as McAvoy's Robbie and his two companions try to find their way around. This is masterly film-making and worth the price of the DVD on its own.
The denouement is left in the hands of Vanessa Redgrave, and what a smashing job she makes of it too. Fragile yet playful, wistful yet leaving no doubt of the sincerity of her regrets, this is a fine performance.... Read more ›
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By Rachel Ashby
Format:DVD
Whew! I've just ordered yet another copy of this film for a friend who hasn't yet seen it, and thought I'd glance at the reviews while I was at it...half an hour later, I'm left with such a sense of how very different each one of us truly is, and how differently we view & experience movies! I suppose that we're all looking for different things from them.
I hadn't read the book before seeing this film way back in September '07. I've read it since, and despite the immaculate crafting and writing it leaves me cold like so many of Ian McEwan's novels (I keep trying but...sorry)
That I've seen the film 12 times now probably speaks volumes. I remember when I left the cinema after the first time, I felt raw...I couldn't bear anyone to talk to me for about an hour afterwards as I needed time to 'come down' from the emotion. I saw it 4 times on the big screen in total (this isn't unusual for me...if I love a film, I'll watch it several times to squeeze every drop from it - ergo, I've seen The King's Speech 4 times already!) and I have to be careful about watching it now as it can affect me quite strongly still - I just find the emotions, characters, acting so powerful & moving. I wasn't a fan of Keira Knightley before particularly, but after this, The Edge of Love and The Duchess I cannot wait to see her again. James McAvoy is & will continue to be one of our greatest new acting talents...I see only great things ahead for him. Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch - their body of work before & since 'Atonement' speaks volumes for them too.
Much has been said and debated in these reviews on the story, the cinematography, the accents, the period details...I'm not going to add to that.
Reviews are so, so personal.... Read more ›
I hadn't read the book before seeing this film way back in September '07. I've read it since, and despite the immaculate crafting and writing it leaves me cold like so many of Ian McEwan's novels (I keep trying but...sorry)
That I've seen the film 12 times now probably speaks volumes. I remember when I left the cinema after the first time, I felt raw...I couldn't bear anyone to talk to me for about an hour afterwards as I needed time to 'come down' from the emotion. I saw it 4 times on the big screen in total (this isn't unusual for me...if I love a film, I'll watch it several times to squeeze every drop from it - ergo, I've seen The King's Speech 4 times already!) and I have to be careful about watching it now as it can affect me quite strongly still - I just find the emotions, characters, acting so powerful & moving. I wasn't a fan of Keira Knightley before particularly, but after this, The Edge of Love and The Duchess I cannot wait to see her again. James McAvoy is & will continue to be one of our greatest new acting talents...I see only great things ahead for him. Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch - their body of work before & since 'Atonement' speaks volumes for them too.
Much has been said and debated in these reviews on the story, the cinematography, the accents, the period details...I'm not going to add to that.
Reviews are so, so personal.... Read more ›
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Audrey
Format:DVD
It is a delightful film, well paced, with a beautiful background, strong emotions and remarquable actors. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I found it just as enjoyable as the book it was adapted from.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Helena
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
What a lovely film but so sad. couldn't stop crying at the end but lovely. Well worth watching again and again.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
As usual, excellent service and product, very pleased with it, I shall order more from the same site in the future
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By FanOfThings
Format:DVD
An absolutely perfect adaptation, while Keira Knightley is often thought for beinpoor her performance in Atonement is faultless as are the rest of the casts. I'm a big fan of films that are stylistically and visually pretty and Atonement fulfills any aesthetic expectations. The story is one of how the misinterpretation of events through the eyes of a thirteen* year old girl determines the course of so many lives. In a sense Atonement is almost epic with it spanning many years, locations and characters. Do not put one the film looking for a light period drama however, the story is heart wrenching as well as beautiful you feel thoroughly drained by the end but i highly doubt you'll regret watching it and may well put yourself through it again and again saying as the film will always be saying 'come back to me'.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By W. Beckett
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
At face value, I wouldn't have put this high on my list of must haves! In fact even when I ordered this Digi-book on pure impulse I then cancelled it - only to find that it was too late to do so... Thankfully, I'm now glad that it WAS delivered! Because instead of some Hooray Henry BBC rendition of times gone by - or the vapid eye candy of a vacuous Hollywood action movie, this film actually does present a bloody good memorable and surprising story! Credit to the writers, the actors and perhaps especially to the director who choreographs a scene depicting the evacuation at Dunkirk in one long take soooooo magnificently. I won't spoil the devastating surprise ending for you, except to say that it's based upon the true harsh realities that did cross my mind while watching... All in all, in hindsight, I can't flaw this movie. To those who do trash it as pretentous tosh and factually incorrect obviously overlook the fact that this movie is deliberately constructed and layered to be seen through the initial pernicious eyes of a lovestruck pre-pubsecent young girl - through to her maturing adolenscent guilt - until we finally arrive at her 'Atonement' borne from the wishful romantic hindsights and retrospects of old age! Our memories, wishes and imagination are not always real or factually correct.
Acting wise, Kiera Knightly's stoic expressions actually convey so much to haunt the memory, and James Mcavoy has rightly gone on to carve his niche in subsequent movies. But let's not also forget the course of all those who played Briony Tallis at 3 different ages. Each performance is potent, memorable and telling!... Read more ›
Acting wise, Kiera Knightly's stoic expressions actually convey so much to haunt the memory, and James Mcavoy has rightly gone on to carve his niche in subsequent movies. But let's not also forget the course of all those who played Briony Tallis at 3 different ages. Each performance is potent, memorable and telling!... Read more ›
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3.9 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good
the start of the film is really gripping and i absolutely loved it! But towards the middle it started to get really dull!
Published 16 days ago by Isobel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mesmerising
Absolutely beautiful and finely crafted film. IMO Knightley has never been better.
James Mcavoy's performance was similarly excellent. Read more
James Mcavoy's performance was similarly excellent. Read more
Published 24 days ago by JONESY
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love it
A beautiful story about love and a young girl who makes the biggest mistake of her life and ruins the lives of everyone around her
Published 1 month ago by bananaking
4.0 out of 5 stars
Keira Knightley at her Best
Having watched several previous Keira Knightley features I was not expecting too much of this, however, I think this was the best thing I've seen her do; she seemed to wear the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by John McQueen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good.
Delivered to time and cost.
This is a good film.
We were pleased with this purchase.
If you like films then this is another good one to see.
This is a good film.
We were pleased with this purchase.
If you like films then this is another good one to see.
Published 4 months ago by Steve Clark
1.0 out of 5 stars
Messed up order.
I received the Atonement case with a disc copy of a film called Beyond Borders in stead. Don't know what happened here but this was very disappointing.
Published 4 months ago by Eleanor
4.0 out of 5 stars
Atonement
Excellent film so bought as a present for a friend in US who likes Pride and Prejudice by same production team and actors. Read more
Published 5 months ago by stephen ransome
1.0 out of 5 stars
Bland tosh
Tremendous hype led me to buy this film for £2 from Tesco... thankfully it was only 2 quid...
We managed 15 minutes before canning it, and now checking the other reviews... Read more
We managed 15 minutes before canning it, and now checking the other reviews... Read more
Published 6 months ago by A. McLearnon
5.0 out of 5 stars
One man's interpretation
Atonement [DVD] [2007]As director Joe Wright said, there are as many interpretations of Atonement as there are readers of the book or viewers of the film, which is why I kept... Read more
Published 7 months ago by gilbert
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