When British film authors launch prestigious art films aimed at winning an Oscar, there is a high likelihood that these projects will be based on famous literary works dating from the first half of the 20th century or much earlier. So, Joe Wright's 2007 period drama Atonement could be somewhat refreshing simply because it was an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Ian McEwan, originally published in 2001.
McEwan's novel received numerous accolades, among other reasons, for its innovative handling of fiction and reality, showcasing the same events from several different perspectives. The screenplay by the esteemed Christopher Hampton faithfully translates this approach to the screen, as well as the novel's structure divided into four parts.
The plot begins in the summer of 1935 Britain at the estate of the wealthy Tallis family, where young student Cecilia (played by Keira Knightley) discovers her love for Robbie (played by James McAvoy), the handsome son of a poor housekeeper who studies medicine with the help of the Tallis family. Robbie is also in love with Cecilia, but their brief romance becomes complicated by Cecilia's 13-year-old sister Briony (played by Saoirse Ronan), who is infatuated with Robbie and whose naivety and jealousy lead to Robbie's life being ruined. A few years later, Robbie is forced to serve as an ordinary British soldier in World War II, and in late spring 1940, he retreats in front of German tanks to the beach at Dunkirk in anticipation of evacuation. On the other side of the English Channel awaits Cecilia, who has left her studies to work as a nurse, along with 18-year-old Briony (played by Romola Garai), also a nurse, who seeks to atone for depriving the young couple of their happiness.
The renowned young director Wright has already shown his ability to handle literary adaptations successfully in his earlier film Pride and Prejudice, as well as presenting England's past to contemporary audiences. In Atonement, he has gathered some of his old team—actresses Keira Knightley and Brenda Blethyn (who plays Robbie's mother) and composer Dario Marianelli, whose Oscar-winning score cleverly incorporates the sound of a typewriter. Wright also employs fresh talent—young Scottish actor James McAvoy, known for The Last King of Scotland, 25-year-old Romola Garai, and 13-year-old Irish actress Ronan, who ultimately impressed many with her complex yet successfully portrayed role, thus securing her film career in years to come.
Atonement, given its somewhat unconventional structure and unusual (and somewhat surprising) ending for Wright, represents an improvement over the acclaimed but routine Pride & Prejudice. However, it remains a film far from perfection. The reason lies in Wright's affection for his film; he too often lacks the heart to use editing scissors, resulting in an overly lengthy film. The best example of this is the most poignant scene in Atonement — the depiction of complete disarray and despair among the sad remnants of the British and French armies waiting for evacuation from Dunkirk beaches. This scene, which depicts a famous historic event with much more skill and accuracy than Christopher Nolan in Dunkirk a decade later, showcases Wright's lavish talent but serves no purpose other than to allow him to "show off," as Wright himself admitted at the Venice Film Festival.
On the other hand, this scene could have served as an illustration of one of the themes of the original novel—the relationship between fiction and reality—given that wartime propaganda and national mythology later transformed the evacuation from Dunkirk into a great British triumph. Due to these missed opportunities, Atonement deserves praise but not at a level befitting a true classic.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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