Atonement (2007)

I saw Atonement upon its theatrical release in 2007, when everybody was talking about it, and I loved it, too. But sometimes when I see a film I am really impressed with, I am considerably less impressed than the first time. Other times it works the opposite way; I won't fully appreciate the film until the second time I see it. All I'm saying is that one's evaluation of a movie can change upon multiple viewings. I am pleased to report, however, that when I watched Atonement last night, it was just as astounding as it was the first time.

A lot has been said about the film's performances but, while the acting is certainly terrific, this is undoubtedly a director's movie. What I mean is that Keira Knightley and James McAvoy aren't really the stars of the show, director Joe Wright is. Atonement contains some of the prettiest, most creative shots I have ever seen. And there are so many things in this film (dialogue, score, moods, characters, conflicting styles of cinematography) that simply do not match each other, but Wright does a masterful job of seamlessly connecting them and making them make sense within the story. Under another director, this film could have been a disaster. With Wright at the helm, it's a masterpiece.

The first act of the movie is set in England during the days preceding their involvement in World War II, and the story continues on into the war. Too much explanation of plot would be tedious and confusing, so I'll keep it to a minimum. The story is about many things (it's kind of epic in one way, really) but the important character is a 13-year-old girl named Briony (Saoirse Ronan) who tells a lie out of jealousy and hurt feelings that results in her sister Cecilia's (Knightley) romantic interest Robbie (McAvoy) being sent to prison for something he did not do. He gets out of prison by joining the army, so he and Cecilia do not get to be together. The rest of the film deals with the tragedy of the lives of the lovers and the quest for atonement on the behalf of Briony.

You should look this movie up online for a better summary of what happens. I'm not very adept at explaining the weight of the plot. Here's what Roger Ebert had to say in the first paragraph of his review: "Atonement begins on joyous gossamer wings, and descends into an abyss of tragedy and loss. Its opening scenes in an English country house between the wars are like a dream of elegance, and then a 13-year-old girl sees something she misunderstands, tells a lie and destroys all possibilty of happiness in three lives, including her own." Perhaps that's easier to understand.

Visually, Atonement is fantastic. Wright's directorial devices - dead-on symmetrical shots, fading the background to black behind an actor, the nonlinear narrative, the way the score rhythmically coincides with the editing, the playing of some scenes backwards - are never overstated but always effective. In his own subtle way, Wright is just as ballsy as Tarantino or P.T. Anderson. I think this is overlooked by some, maybe because the movie's subject matter is fairly easily accessible and it's easy to categorize it as a mere period piece.

This is a very moving film, and nothing happens the way you might expect. The ending could be called both happy and sad. With Atonement, Wright asks an important question: can we ever atone for the wrongs we have committed? The film doesn't have an answer, at least I don't believe it does. But it forces us to think about our own misdeeds. If you haven't seen this, I think it's important that you do so soon.