Atonement

Adapted from a 2001 novel of the same name, Atonement is a film about grief, regret, the cruel eventual passage of time, and as the title implies the complexities of traversing the life in front of you while trying to atone for your past grievances. The movie is shot with beautiful and sometimes dark scenery that envelopes the audience into the story itself. The editing and pacing is quick, sharp as a knife, and full of personality, filled with it's consistent almost diagetic Soundtrack. The acting by James McAvoy is hard hitting and emotional, full of the depth and deep sorrow showing how deeply the events of the story affects his character. Atonement is a film that is so tightly packed together that the 2 hour run marks seems almost nonexistent. And While for the most part this plays in its favor in others it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of characterization specifically for the character of Kiera Knightly. Although deeply sympathetic and believable in her relationship with MacAvoy the character might at times feel unproblematic at best, and dissappointly flat and unexplored at worst. Still though with all the great technical work, thematic storytelling, and entrancing performances there's very little you can hate about Atonement. 8/10