ATONEMENT is period British fare that North Americans normally fall in love with.  Lavish production values combined with the best of British actors (including Vanessa Redgrave, Kiera Knightley and the upcoming James McAvoy) and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE director Joe Wright, the film has already had a successful run in the U.K.

Based on a novel by Ian McEwan, ATONEMENT is a story that contains nasty characters.  Briony (played by 3 different actresses Saoirse Ronan, Knightley and Redgrave at different stages of her life) is a rich spoilt kid whose childhood mischief causes unforgivable harm.  Her sister Cecilia (Knightley) is not that likeable a character either – flirty, bored and unrelenting and their brother’s best friend is a sex offender.  Even the hero’s character is questionable.  Nothing much is said in the film of what he did during the war.

A few film segments (following McEwan’s novel) are deliberately taken out of chronological order.  When Cecilia dives into the fountain to retrieve a piece of a vase, she emerges, as viewed by sister Briony from her window soaking wet.  The next scene has her walking in the house dry as a bone.  Before one can jump to the incorrect conclusion of film discontinuity, it becomes apparent that what is to take place on screen is the scene prior to her jumping into the water.  The reason is for us to draw the wrong conclusion as Briony did, of her sister’s act.  A few other scenes follow suit and may be distracting initially.  Eventually all fall in place within rational reasoning.  The buzzing bee by the window that Briony observes the act could also suggest (perhaps) that she is a busybody.

ATONEMENT’s music is often superimposed with the sound of clicking typewriter keys – a device Wright uses to remind the audience of Briony’s writing skills from youth to aged.

The most stunning yet bewildering part of the film is the elaborate Dunkirk evacuation of the British troops.  As Robbie and his fellow soldiers scour the area, the audience is treated to an elaborate panorama of surreal visuals and sounds that include the hundreds of troops waiting on the beach that include men wrestling on the ground and a choir of soldiers singing harmoniously, horses lined up to be shot, wrecked sailboats and seaside ferry-wheels.  Though these may not make any narrative sense, Wright may be forgiven for his indulgence for the reason of their immaculate splendour. 

Oscar winner Christopher Hampton’s (DANGEROUS LIASONS) script combined with Wright’s direction result in a mischievous yet meticulous made film.  The play between imagination and reality works well.  The climax of the film which requires an elderly Briony (Vanessa Redgrave) to deliver a lengthy 15 minute speech is done interspersed with some stunning beautiful imagery of what a happy ever after ending should be.  And this is the way movie magic is made.