Atonement

Atonement is wonderfully suited for broadcast on TV channels that feature love stories. That tragic romance of unfulfilled love, fateful encounters, desire, passion, misunderstandings, sacrifices, hope, and disappointments. The producer spared no expense, and the director tried to make it a sublime visual feast with an artistic touch. But there's a catch. Atonement doesn't work for me. It's overly ambitious, and emotionally missed the mark with me. The acclaimed long shots rather bore me, and I can only appreciate the well-crafted beach scene at Dankers, where the surrounded defeated army tries to forget about the future. When looking at Keira Knightley's emaciated figure, I realized that she resembles more of a medical diagnosis than an actress. This time, I'll take the dissident position in my review... Overall impression: 45%. (03/21/2013)

Romantic films are certainly not the kind I look for, but I have nothing about having an occasional look at genres that are not my favourite and today I decided to watch the best rated romance of 2007, Atonement. The result is that for most of the runtime I was bored and frustrated, hoping for the end. The direction is brilliant, the film has lots of gorgeous visuals, but it didn’t have much of an effect on me. But then the story jumps to the present and the end shattered me. The tempers suddenly flare and I have to say that I don’t regret putting on this film. 70% (08/24/2008)

One subconsciously expects a dose of kitsch and one gets it. But if he is not a cynic, he is sure to be swept away by all the splendor of the images and the story. Joe Wright has gotten rid of his only flaw - character confusion - and delivers a conscious and distinguished spectacle that has so much heart that the viewer's emotions at times can't keep up. The mixture of laughter and sadness creates one of the most romantic experiences in modern cinema. I’d also like to point out that Keira's sweet face has finally grown into a character actress and Joe Wright is the current No. 1 talent int he UK - even Brian De Palma would have admired him for that fantastic steady-cam on the beach. (01/23/2008)

It is surprising that at a time when filmmakers sully one quality book after another that for several years now, adaptations of the works of Ian McEwan have been successful, that you very much. Each of the five adaptations of his works so far worked well and three of them very well. And that includes Atonement which, while not being his best, is McEwan’s best known novel. Joe Wright is growing into a big name of contemporary cinema. And if you think that McAvoy is just a pretty boy with a sexy accent, this movie will set you right. You don’t often see so many powerful scenes linked together into one effective whole that works on several levels at once. And the fact that Atonement just happens to rag you through all shades of emotional feelings is just icing on the cake. (01/01/2008)

The king for the second time and completely differently. It would be too easy and an excuse to compare it to verbose Pride and Prejudice. Atonement, on the other hand, takes a completely different approach, with the only common aspect. Both films are so personal to me that they grow with every subsequent screening. And so, even though Wright the director and visual perfectionist occasionally surpasses Wright the storyteller, the criticisms disappear precisely because the audiovisual aspect surpasses the majority of what I have seen in life in grand or conversely intimate scenes. Just Atonement, whose literary source is one grand intimate psychological study, is not a piece of cake for adaptation. Master Joe is absolutely unique among contemporary creators in one aspect. He can guide actors to such an extent that they completely merge with their characters and from the screen, desire, love, hidden emotions, and helplessness scream. And I feel how they scream right at me, and so loudly - and I understand them. At this moment, it seems to me that some atonements will be made forever. Happiness is sometimes terribly far away. (03/14/2008)