Atonement (2007)

Director: Joe Wright

Cast: Saoirse Ronan as Briony Tallis - Age 13, Ailidh Mackay as Singing Housemaid, Brenda Blethyn as Grace Turner, Julia West as Betty, James McAvoy as Robbie Turner, Harriet Walter as Emily Tallis, Keira Knightley as Cecilia Tallis, Juno Temple as Lola Quincey, Felix von Simson as Pierrot Quincey, Charlie von Simson as Jackson Quincey, Alfie Allen as Danny Hardman, Patrick Kennedy as Leon Tallis, Benedict Cumberbatch as Paul Marshall, Peter Wight as Police Inspector, Leander Deeny as Police Constable

I saw a preview of this film yesterday and felt privileged to be one of
the first people to see the film. It was also a pleasure to see a film
before reading any other critical review or opinion. I am a great fan
of Ian Mcewan and was concerned that it would not be possible to
capture the subtleties and nuances of Mcewan's writing but I needn't
have had any worries. The director, Joe Wright and screenplay writer
Christopher Hampton have done a superb job and the complexities of the
novel are superbly captured with real imagination. The story is set in
three main areas, an English country house in 1935, war torn France
1940 and London 1940. The atmosphere in of all three are wonderfully
captured by the director, cinematographer, costume design and score and
I am sure that there are going to be some Oscar nominations for these.
James McAvoy as lead man gives a tremendous performance of a restrained
but passionate man. I was not as convinced by Keira Knightley's
performance and am not sure that her acting has the mature edge to
capture the social nuances of the times that McAvoy did so
successfully. Do not see this film if you like fast paced films and
rapid plot development! This is not a film for the pop video
generation. If however you like character development and a plot that
unravels at a pace that allows you to be immersed in the atmosphere of
the film then I can highly recommend Atonement as one of the best films
that I have seen this year.