Movie Review: Atonement

Atonement is the best film of 2007. With films like this one and like No Country For Old Men, my previous pick for best film of 2007, 2007 is most assuredly notable for being one of the finest years of cinema in recent memory. Certainly, 2006 was also a stellar year for film, so there’s a reason to look ahead with confidence at some of the possibilities for films in 2008.

With films like Atonement and No Country For Old Men, it seems that Hollywood and the film industry internationally is rediscovering the art and importance of telling stories, building strong characters, and solid natural direction and set design. Atonement, in my view, leads the pack of the new breed of exciting cinema with its refreshingly honest and bold vision. It is absolutely spectacular.

Atonement recently scooped the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama and the Golden Globe for Best Original Score – Motion Picture for the sweeping and magnificent score provided by Dario Marianelli. Recently, Atonement also picked up 14 BAFTA nominations, including Best Picture, Best British Film, Best Director for Joe Wright, Best Leading Actor for James McAvoy, Best Leading Actress for Keira Knightley, Best Supporting Actress for Saoirse Ronan, and Best Original Score. The film was also nominated for awards from the Art Directors Guild, the American Society of Cinematographers, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Satellite Awards, the London Film Critics Circle, and even the Online Film Critics Society.

Atonement is based on Ian McEwan’s novel of the same name, which was released in 2001 to much critical acclaim. The film adaptation of McEwan’s book was realized through the direction of Joe Wright, who also worked on the Jane Austen adaptation film Pride and Prejudice. Wright is a British filmmaker who received the BAFTA award for Most Promising Newcomer after his work on Pride and Prejudice. He will, in all likelihood, continue his winning ways at the BAFTA awards with this brilliant work which exceeds Pride and Prejudice significantly. In Atonement, Wright is directing a masterpiece of a film. With sweeping landscapes coupled with nuance and subtlety often saved for the most gifted of directors, Wright’s film is captivating both on a grand scale and also on a minimalistic one.

Article Author: Jordan Richardson

Jordan Richardson is a Canadian freelance writer and ne'er-do-well. He writes stuff here and here.

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