Atonement (2007)
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A young girl's misinterpretation of a relationship leads to a tragic chain of events that spans decades and continents.
The story
In 1935 England, 13-year-old Briony Tallis misinterprets the relationship between her sister, Cecilia, and the housekeeper's son, Robbie Turner. After a series of misunderstandings and a tragic mistake involving a crime, Robbie is unjustly imprisoned. The narrative then follows the consequences of Briony's actions as the story moves into the 1940s during the Second World War. The film explores the lasting impact of a single lie and the difficulty of seeking redemption as the characters face the harsh realities of war and the passage of time.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1935 England, Briony Tallis witnesses her sister Cecilia and Robbie Turner together and, fueled by jealousy, falsely accuses Robbie of a crime. Robbie is imprisoned, and the truth is obscured by Briony's testimony. During World War II, Robbie is drafted and eventually ends up at Dunkirk, while Briony becomes a nurse. Years later, Briony realizes her mistake and tries to convince Cecilia to help her correct the record, but Cecilia refuses. The story concludes with an elderly Briony revealing that her final novel contains a fictional happy ending for Robbie and Cecilia, who both died during the war. In reality, Robbie died of an infected wound at Dunk1rk and Cecilia died in a bombing during the Blitz.
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 123
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Joe Wright
- Writers
- Christopher Hampton · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- James McAvoy · Robbie Turner; Keira Knightley · Cecilia Tallis; Saoirse Ronan · Briony Tallis, aged 13; Romola Garai · Briony, aged 18; Vanessa Redgrave · older Briony; Brenda Blethyn · Grace Turner; Juno Temple · Lola Quincey; Benedict Cumberbatch · Paul Marshall
- Genres
- romantic war tragedy
- Themes
- consequences of lies; atonement; war; misunderstanding
- Tone and mood
- tragic; emotional
- Premise and plot tags
- period piece; war drama; romance; unreliable narrator
- Source material / true-story basis
- the 2001 novel by Ian McEwan
- Reception
- The film was a commercial success and received critical acclaim for its acting, direction, and emotional depth.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 83% · scale: percentage · review count: 217; Metacritic · score: 85 · scale: 100 · review count: 36
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Score · won; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Drama · won; Academy Award · Best Picture · nominated; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actress · nominated; Academy Award · Best Adapted Screenplay · nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was a commercial success, grossing approximately $129 million on a $30 million budget.; Joe Wright was the youngest director ever to open the 64th Venice International Film Festival.; The film includes a short clip from Le Quai des brumes, a 1938 film by Marcel Carné.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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