Atonement Review

I wasn't really that interested in seeing Atonement in theaters, despite the rave reviews. I think Keira Knightly is overrated and so far haven't fallen madly in love with James McAvoy. But I'm so glad I listened to the reviews. The film is phenomenal. The cinematography is just amazing and goes a long way in telling the story. I was delighted to find that Keira Knightly, who plays Cecilia, was not the main focus of the movie, whereas the movie primarily focuses on the her character's younger sister, Briony, at various stages in life.

For those of you who haven't seen the movie or read a synopsis, the story tells of how a young girl's interpretation of events causes irreparable damage in the lives of two people that she deeply cares about. The events in question are shown first from Briony's point of view as an onlooker, and then again with all the details such as dialogue and actions leading up to the critical moments. The story then follows the various characters over the years, with a particular focus on Briony and the evolution of her feelings on what she did.

I must say that James McAvoy is growing on me with every movie of his that I see. Although I didn't particularly enjoy Becoming Jane, mostly because the ending was just utterly depressing, but I did find McAvoy incredibly charming in the role. Watching him in Atonement only furthered my interest. You would never know from watching him in film that he has a gorgeous Scottish accent. Although I don't know much about dialects, I couldn't find any fault in the English accent he used in both Becoming Jane and Atonement.

Overall, Atonement is a tragic and moving story that illustrates how powerfully the consequences of our actions can affect those around us.

Recommendation: Must See