Atonement Film Review

Repent for sin. Atonement.   A woman.   A man. Love.   A beautiful British old country estate. A gorgeous green silk dress, a tattered shirt and overly worn pants. A little girl standing from a bedroom window, and a single lie. Filled with dramatic tension, glorious language and passionate romance comes Atonement, a tragic love story set during World War II. The film is based on the compelling novel by Ian McEwen, and directed Joe Wright at a young thirty five. Joe Wright’s lack of experience in directing feature films would perhaps hinder the greatness of the film, but this is not so
The film begins on an English estate belonging to the Tallis family.   Cecelia Tallis, played by the stunning Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice, Pirates of the Caribbean), discovers she is in love and loved by Robbie Turner, wonderfully portrayed by Scottish-born actor, James McAvoy (Band of Brothers, The Last King of Scotland). Robbie, despite his intelligence, is the son of a servant. Cecilia’s younger sister Briony, Saiouse Ronan, observes their blossoming relationship and through sexual naivety, cannot comprehend nor understand what both Robbie and Cecilia share. Through a twisting turn of events, Robbie finds himself in the army, traipsing across the plains of Dunkirk.  
Two characters make significant use of a typewriter.   The first is an aspiring playwright, the second uses the typewriter to justify their love, through letters. Cleverly, the tapping sounds of the typewriter keys are combined with the musical score composed by Dario Marinnelli.   The clicking of the keys begins slowly, growing faster, turning into more complex rhythms.   This effect builds dramatic tension and increases the drama of the film, driving the audience to demand for answers as to what will happen next.
James McAvoy is superb in the role of Robbie, a handsome young groundsman who is not afraid to get his hands dirty or polish up his shoes for a posh dinner with the Tallis’.   McAvoy’s face spells the...