58. Atonement (2007)

Briony is a 13 year old precocious brat who has a small crush on the housekeeper's son, Robbie. After misinterpreting scenes between Robbie and her sister Cecilia, she labels him as a sex maniac and when her cousin Lola is raped, she tells the police she saw Robbie do it. What a bitch! It was clearly the creepy chocolate guy(is that Sherlock Holmes?)
Consequently Robbie is sent to prison then into military service. Cecilia, who is actually in love with Robbie, estranges her family and becomes a nurse. They meet up before he leaves for battle and make plans to be together on his return.
A more mature Briony decides to forsake a place at Cambridge and also becomes a nurse, possibly as some penance for the wrong he did. She meets up with the reunited couple and pledges to make right her lie. Especially after seeing that Lola has now married Sherlock Holmes.
Unfortunately the whole film is the elderly Briony's last novel. Finally telling the truth of her misdeed as a teenager. The reality is not as happy an ending, but a great twist.

I had read the book before seeing the film, so it was hard to separate the two. Ian McEwan's book is a masterpiece, but I believe this stands alone as a good film. The performances are great, in particular the three actresses playing Briony. Saoirse Ronan's 13 year old is very accomplished and she comes across as the true spoilt horror. Romola Garai as the 18 year old has the cracks showing as the horrors of war enforce how much she has done wrong. Vanessa Redgrave has a brief appearance at the end as the elderly Briony. It's as part of a television interview about her latest book. It's here that she confesses the reality of her secret. Briony is a coward and it's up to you if you forgive her. Redgrave certainly makes you feel sorry for her. Keira Knightley didn't bring much to the table, but then her character is quite glossed over.

The film is shot with great achievement by Joe Wright. The 'one shot' scene at Dunkirk is particularly affecting, haunting in the desperation of the situation.
It is a good adaptation. There is a whole chunk of the book missing as Robbie walks the long road to the coast. Here it is slight and rushed to get to that scene. I think there was more made of the class separation. It is touched on here, bu the divide between Robbie's mother, Robbie and the Tallis family is more pronounced in the book. Really should stop comparing it to the book though.

Okay one last time. As a film, it's a good costume drama. I wouldn't say it was worthy of the list. The book is most certainly on the 1001 books before you die list!