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Atonement

Atonement

2007
Romance, Drama
2h 3m
A British romance that spans several decades. Fledgling writer Briony Tallis, as a 13-year-old, irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit. (imdb)
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Atonement

2007
Romance, Drama
2h 3m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 59.22% from 5471 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(5471)
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Rated 07 May 2020
93
75th
Not at all the sappy romance film I thought it would be. All of the performances are good, but McAvoy was my favorite performer. It's all so beautifully filmed and made. That continuous shot was awesome. I also like that it jumps around a bit with the time line to keep things moving at a great pace. The first act is kind of slow, but after that, the movie picks up and never stops for a minute. Definitely recommended.
Rated 02 Jan 2008
65
76th
Well, this turned out to be better than I thought in the beginning. The perception camera going throughout the movie with added memory recall effect makes a solid ground. The unavoidable spiral of events makes it worthwhile a story. A pleasant crowd grabber.
Rated 03 Mar 2008
55
40th
Starts pretty well but after the crime has happened it jumps few years ahead in time and the downfall begins. By the time it gets to the ending it has managed to ruin everything good the first part did.
Rated 07 Sep 2008
85
89th
A riveting and touching story that comes with some very beautiful pictures. An excellently chosen cast which is led especially by James McAvoy. Saoirse Ronan also delivers a great performance. Moreover, sound and score are simply marvelous.
Rated 19 Apr 2008
81
87th
It's good. The first half I found to be relatively forgettable, but then halfway through, there's this AMAZING tracking shot, (seriously it's beautiful, one of the best shots I've ever seen), and something in me clicked right there, or maybe the movie just picked up a lot, but it started to get really good. Its a sad story, shown in a beautiful way.
Rated 28 Oct 2012
62
73rd
The first half was pretty strong I thought.So was the cinematography (throughout). But the second half felt somewhat over-sentimental and manipulative.The ending could have been interesting but fell flat. Performances were decent (rather liked Saoirse).
Rated 16 Jan 2008
4
70th
Impressive; an extremely good period romance with some fine performances and a very creative script (though the credit for that, I suppose, must be given to the novel - I haven't read it) that, in its nonlinear style of storytelling, gives the story emotional heft by revealing previously hidden aspects and doubling back to show different perspectives. The ending is inspired.
Rated 14 Mar 2008
77
51st
A great first hour is followed by a rather clumsy 40 minutes and a misfire of an ending. The performances are very good as is the direction, both of which keep you watching while the movie completely loses focus in the second half. While the ending could have been interesting the way it's presented makes it feel very manipulative, with an overbearing score and very slow blatant exposition.
Rated 05 Jan 2008
70
62nd
At times brilliant. I just wish that it didn't get so bogged down with Venessa Redgrave explaining the "message" to the audience.
Rated 20 Dec 2008
87
91st
One of the bests of '07. Although story flows slowly and there are some problems in script, it's still great piece of art. Cinematography is amazing, Saoirse Ronan is amazing, story is fascinating.. Even Keira is great! It was such a shame that Joe Wright wasn't nominated in Academy Awards last year. I really liked it, however I doubt that most of the people do so..
Rated 18 May 2008
40
8th
The storytelling was creative, but the only character I really cared about was Briony. I get frustrated with movies that seem to need characters to do an excessive number of foolish things just to make the plot work, and that was the case here. And while the celebrated long shot was certainly a technical achievement, it was out of place and showy, taking me out of the film completely--though I was already on my way out by that point.
Rated 14 Nov 2007
89
93rd
Joe Wright is irritatingly talented and innovative.
Rated 25 Apr 2010
2
0th
Spoiler: Personally I wouldn't believe the old lady at the end when she says she's dying, and this last book she wrote is a true story. Since the whole movie before that was about her lies.
Rated 17 Jan 2008
55
30th
A British crowd-pleaser with American production value, this interesting film deserved a better director. It does a fine job on a technical level, and has some flourishes of directorial wit, but they're contrived and random. All of it just doesn't sum up to an artistic whole, or some kind of identity or world view that isn't the original book author's.
Rated 24 Feb 2008
66
28th
Okay at best. The story contains a couple of interesting twists, but doesn't really explore its themes very well. I only cared about Briony; Cecilia and Robbie were very bland characters portrayed by very bland actors. The scenes of Robbie in France were largely unnecessary. I liked the ending, but I thought it was a dreadful choice to have Redgrave spell it out so plainly. The score was horribly overbearing and Knightley's style of rapid mumbling can be difficult to comprehend.
Rated 25 Dec 2008
82
81st
After the pretty, albiet slow and boring, first half hour, it picks up and enters an actual plot. The middle and end are even more-so dazzling and beautiful and by the end I even began to appreciate the beginning. Had this movie actually has war scenes in it, included war-fare it would have been rated much better. As it stands it is beautiful, but not quite the depiction the era and place deserves.
Rated 22 Mar 2008
50
15th
That eight hour tracking shot was one of the best naps I've ever teken.
Rated 23 Sep 2017
28
19th
This was a disappointing film. It's full of tricks, using time-shifts, an impressively long tracking shot, multiple actors in the same role and, significantly, a typewriter in the soundtrack to underscore the power-relations between film-makers and film audience. In a film that's main plot point hinges on the British class system (or does it?), this surely seems profound--except it seemed annoyingly facile.
Rated 21 Jul 2008
75
62nd
Doesn't half go on a bit. I can see why this got so many rave reviews, and there's some breathtaking cinematography going on, but the story, while being tragically romantic, doesn't really go anywhere that I wanted to go, or that I didn't kind of expect.
Rated 06 Feb 2008
92
88th
Joe Wright gets it done right for the first time in his career with Atonement. It's an incredibly well-shot and well-edited film with some of the most beautiful backdrops and locations I've seen in a long time. It has been years since there was a period romance that was of this quality. There's really nothing but gold here. If you're looking for the year's best, this may very well take the prize come Oscar time. It's simply a remarkable movie that I recommend wholeheartedly.
Rated 05 Jan 2008
7
67th
The tracking scene at Dunkirk is fantastic.
Rated 20 Jun 2008
7
68th
The first half was excellent but it really falls apart at the end. The script needed major rewrites but goddamn if it isn't a pretty thing to look at. Also, Keira Knightley acts as well as a board.
Rated 21 Feb 2008
82
89th
In one of the best movies of 2007. Dramatically emotional and sensible... Atonement, director Joe Wright's masterwork. An excellent production...
Rated 14 Mar 2008
86
87th
A pleasant surprise given its packaged a bit like stuffy boring Oscar-bait a la English Patient. The long shot of the beach at Dunkirk rivals the war scene in Children of Men in terms of technical accomplishments -- everything about this movie is top shelf, from the cinematography to the score, and especially the acting. Wright flashes a strong directorial prowess, and the ending packs an unforgettable punch. It's a clear runner-up in a strong year, but definitely not to be missed.
Rated 13 Feb 2011
30
17th
I really didn't like Atonement. It was one of the more disappointing films that I've seen, and I didn't even know anything about it going in, meaning I didn't set my expectations very high. It was just a really poor film. The story was boring, the ending angered me, and the characters were dull and unlikable. Almost nothing of the film was of any worth, and save for the one scene that Vanessa Redgrave, I was completely bored while watching it.
Rated 14 Sep 2012
73
67th
A pretty film with a actually a good performance of Knightly. Some really beautiful shots, like the one on the beach is quite impressive. I wanted to watch this movie when I read my grampa's diary, during the time when he was in the army. He wrote some things in a very casual manner, when it's actually quite shocking. Unfortunately this movie is more based around romance, and not much of the war itself. Still it gave me a good impression of how it might've been
Rated 27 Oct 2008
61
42nd
Feels like Titanic-lite. The beginning 45 minutes sets up what could be a really strong love story, but then there was really nothing exciting about the rest of the movie to keep my attention.
Rated 03 Mar 2008
64
37th
The cinematography is great, but the script, which already has some weak points early on, just gets worse as the movie goes on and the ending is bad and out of style.
Rated 05 Jan 2008
70
37th
A tad too long....but Keira Knightely and James McAvoy are sexy as hell. God I love awkward, repressed British sexuality!
Rated 24 Aug 2010
90
88th
The cinematography in the first act is brilliant however its a bit slow paced and cant give us the full foresight of whats to come. (it still has one of the best `i love you` - `i love you` scenes I`ve ever seen in my life) Then comes the second and last acts which are truly moving and powerful. The 4-5 minutes single shot on the beach is truly impressive. Nice to see Vanessa Redgrave at the end but I`d rather prefer she didn't summarize the whole movie`s message in `Atonement for Dummies` style
Rated 27 May 2008
85
97th
Highly recommend watching this. Great performance by the lead actors, especially Saoirse Ronan as the 13 year old Briony Tallis. What one person sees with their own eyes does not necessarily make it true, and Atonement does a marvelous job depicting this.
Rated 04 Oct 2008
95
97th
Epic yet intimate, 'Atonement' is a both timeless and haunting dissection of the hardship of passion, the many faces of truth and the quest for redemption. Though technically flawless - in particular the stunning cinematography, score and costumes could all be viewed as separate pieces of first class art - the shiniest gem is the truly spectacular Saoirse Ronan providing the breakthrough of the decade.
Rated 06 Jan 2008
80
93rd
Brilliant! Plenty to admire on screen and plenty to think about, even after the film is over.
Rated 05 May 2008
91
96th
A beautiful period drama about the love between a rich girl and her family servant's son, and her younger sister's lie that tears their lives apart, and how their love survives against all odds through spite and war. Its a beautiful film, definitely recommended for owning on DVD.
Rated 03 Sep 2008
74
36th
Enthralling first half; boring, meandering (one of the most excruciating - in the try-to-keep-from-dozing-off sense - war-is-hell scenes in cinema) plodding and heavy-handed second half. A film that asks the audiences to remain interested in a story about a grown woman flagellating herself for a lie she made as a child and the couple who still hate her for it. It all makes sense, mind you, it's just more than a little tiresome. Sh-t happens and little kids tell lies. What are you gonna do?
Rated 05 Jan 2009
7
76th
Too boring, but I don't mind - the heartbreaking Elegy for Dunkirk by Dario Mariannelli made the long shot on the beach undoubtedly the best cinematic moment for 2007.
Rated 14 Oct 2016
71
53rd
Well made film, but it feels a bit artificial or fabricated. The acting and the script could and should have been better for this to truly be a good film, though I wouldn't say it's a bad film.
Rated 14 Sep 2008
5
28th
I would like to say this film petered out, but I can't honestly say it ever picked up enough to peter out in the end.
Rated 17 Sep 2012
74
49th
Knightley stunning as always. Mcvoy doing the job. Nice but sometimes irritating soundtrack. Nice pictures, sometimes reminded me of J.S Sargent paintings, and sometimes of Monnet. Not a must see, but definitly entertaining.
Rated 16 Sep 2020
55
32nd
Sets up nicely in the first half, but the second half strikes a completely different tone with a much slower pacing. It’s not the most enjoyable, but it’s well made, well acted (including a career starting performance from Ronan), and most notably in my opinion, it has a very interesting and unique score.
Rated 14 Dec 2022
72
85th
ben bunu niye beğenir gibi oldum. abartılı tesadüfler olmasa harbi taş gibi film.
Rated 07 Jul 2008
90
94th
Joe Wright evolved very much regarding the previous movie. The technical aspects of the production are perfect. Like the resonant effects and the sequence filmed in the point of retreat of the British troops, during the Second War. A drama about a painful feeling for the fault and their consequences.
Rated 14 Jul 2008
100
96th
The best film of 2007. Atonement is breath taking and heart breaking.
Rated 08 Aug 2010
67
90th
#08#, reviews, story, Keira K
Rated 27 Aug 2011
70
72nd
The first segment of the movie is specially good, and quite independent, it could even work as a short movie. Then it continues with the part of the movie why it's called 'atonement', that being still good, interesting and emotive, is not so close in terms of quality to the beginning. A special mention deserves the score, music using a typewriter, full of meaning and so important in this story about letters, stories and fantasies.
Rated 13 Dec 2017
90
91st
Stunning cinematography, great acting. Only slightly far fetched.
Rated 27 Mar 2012
79
87th
There is no way to tell from the synopsis that this film could actually be this great. Wright's direction capitalizes perfectly on the layered script.
Rated 23 Mar 2014
93
93rd
i saw this film years ago and completely hated it because i didn't understand it at all. watching it again, i'm baffled by how that's possible, because this film is so exceptional in every way. such a nuanced poignant story and so beautiful. joe wright really shows his true breadth as a filmmaker here.
Rated 17 Sep 2008
83
79th
James McAvoy is much better here than in "Wanted". Regarding technique, the really extensive long shot at the beach is just great!
Rated 15 Dec 2007
85
58th
Everybody's raving, but I don't know... The final "apologist" premise just didn't cut it for me. James McAvoy is my favorite new actor of the past year, but if you want to see his better performance, catch BECOMING JANE, with a very fetching Anne Hathaway...
Rated 09 May 2009
80
76th
Bardzo ciekawa historia opowiedziana w moze nie najlepszy sposob. Osobiscie film oceniam wysoko, kino ambitne. Jezeli ktos nie lubi myslec (bo boli) przy ogladaniu filmu, nie bedzie mial z niego frajdy.
Rated 26 Mar 2008
89
62nd
Very well put together, but it seemed a little off balance due to the conversion between book and movie
Rated 06 Apr 2013
62
21st
As a film adaptation, it does a fantastic job in its cinematography and editing. Often, it manages to take in the atmosphere of war and represent the internal emotions of the characters. The actors just didn't do it for me - Knightley's performance is bland, Briony didn't come across as genuine to me, and I never really felt the chemistry between the lovers. I didn't enjoy the plot as I felt it was manipulative, forced, and very hit-and-miss with some of the other issues it tries to explore.
Rated 16 Mar 2008
80
83rd
Director Joe Wright seems to be in his topping period. I think his next movie Soloist can be his masterpiece if the trend continues. Atonement starts slow and distant, but by the end scene, it all comes together and grabs the audience by the heart in an emotional outburst. The 5-minute long beach shot is really insane.
Rated 23 Aug 2010
90
66th
Good adaptation of the novel with McAvoy and Knightly steaming up every scene they are in. Loved the flow of the story, never boring. Highly recommended.
Rated 25 Sep 2010
70
79th
What a little fucking brat.
Rated 04 Jan 2008
50
30th
James McAvoy is great, Kiera Knightley is as wooden as usual.
Rated 22 Apr 2009
80
78th
A beautifully crafted drama with a couple of gorgeous scenes. The only downfall is the ending (although I recall the book having a similar conclusion) which partly breaks the illusion in my opinion.
Rated 19 Feb 2008
80
70th
Pretty standard romance start but turns into a dark moving morality story. Excellent production values.
Rated 23 Oct 2008
98
75th
This is one of my favorite movies ever, i love the cinematography throughout the whole movie. Saorise Ronan is very talented.
Rated 09 Feb 2010
74
48th
A tragic war tale that quite impressed me by the way the story is told, ever connected with the sound of a typewriter, and decent acting. A role which really suits Keira Knightley makes it all the better. I'd put it among the good war dramas.
Rated 18 Jul 2013
70
52nd
Well it's very well shot and the acting's solid, even Romola Garai. There is a real lack of urgency to it though. What really drags it down is the lack of arc for anyone, it comes across as things that happened rather than an actual story.
Rated 20 Jan 2008
85
70th
It starts off pretty bland, but as it progresses it gets much better. The story as a whole is great, and the way it's told keeps your attention. Technically its absolutely wonderful, there's a spectacular long cut and the ending is extremely powerful.I think this is a romance story that everyone can enjoy.
Rated 28 Mar 2011
10
5th
One amazing shot on a war ridden beach can't save this movie from its ridiculous premise and overdramatic acting. This wouldn't even be a good movie if anything that actually happened in it actually happened.
Rated 08 Mar 2009
89
94th
Absolutely one of the decade's bests, and, sans a sluggish second half, one of my favorites of all time. The first act...good god it is a masterpiece. The gorgeous attention to detail, the music, the green dress, the lighting, Ronan's performance, everything- it is a beautiful film. It is sad that the rest of the film is just a "good" romance. Joe Wright and Saoirse Ronan are going to be forces to reckoned with.
Rated 26 Oct 2008
90
90th
This movie sucked me in, and didn't let go. The leaving of Dunkirk is one of my favorite tracking shots.
Rated 08 Mar 2008
80
16th
I'm torn rating this; I'd give the first half a much higher rating than the second (probably 92 / 70). Hence the happy middle ground.
Rated 28 Jan 2008
75
57th
The first half of the movie dragged and was unimpressive. However, the film came around in the second half with performances that really pulled at the heart.
Rated 14 Jan 2008
87
67th
Beautifully made and touching - it even got me a little teary-eyed - but a masterpiece it still is not. It feels epic in plenty of places and the work of everyone involved is masterful in itself... the movie just isn't the best of the crowded year. Don't miss it, though. It's still great.
Rated 05 Jun 2009
95
92nd
Pretty good twist at the end. When this movie was over, I was extremely sad.
Rated 31 Jan 2009
40
23rd
Yuck. Little girl has crush on guy, tells lie about him, he gets sent off to war to avoid jail time. He dies, and the love of his life suffers, while the little lying girl makes megabucks off a bestselling novel about the story, which she alters to give it a happy ending. I'm not going to apologize for the spoiler, because nobody should bother watching this movie.
Rated 24 Aug 2009
90
96th
I'm reviewing this after a second viewing....the first viewing left me a little confused, so 6 months later....... This is a truly stunning movie....with a story so desperately sad. Great photography, ("dunkirk" slightly overindulgent but beautifully done). All leads were good....(even Brenda Blethyn managing to restrain herself). Highly recommend........
Rated 19 Apr 2014
80
70th
Atonement is a well-produced film with a solid storyline that keeps you interested until the credits roll
Rated 01 Mar 2009
99
99th
For someone who never read the novel, this movie kicked me in the gut. Punctuated by incredible acting by McAvoy and Knightly.
Rated 14 Nov 2008
70
28th
Very different kind of way to film a movie. Interesting, but I would not watch it again. Worth watching once.
Rated 22 Feb 2010
37
25th
worthless
Rated 10 Apr 2011
77
78th
This movie is so well shot, it's absolutely bursting great cinematography. The script does feel a little clumsy at times & the ending is effective, but too out of tone with the rest of the movie. Even so, aside from always average Keira Knightly it is very well performed & supurbly paced. Personally I found the accents irritated me for some reason? They all seemed oddly exaggerated, particuarly Daniel Mays chirpy cockney chappy! It grated with me a bit. All-in-all however, a very good film.
Rated 14 Aug 2009
20
44th
British, bookish period piece. The movie starts rather sedately, despite some point-of-view tricks, in a commonplace country estate; and it then gets rather overblown in the war sequences, including a marathon Steadicam single take of the evacuation at Dunkirk. But all in all it's well-mounted, well-dressed, well-acted, and, well, dull.
Rated 14 Apr 2009
88
84th
For what it is, pretty damn stunning.
Rated 08 Apr 2009
81
26th
strong acts I & III, but loses points for a weak act II.....
Rated 23 Apr 2008
65
53rd
One great shot! You have to suffer through a lot of drama to get to it though. What Barry Lyndon would be like if it sucked.
Rated 14 Jan 2014
84
40th
Well-shot, very graphic but not overly so. Just enough to be realistic, honestly. The movie feels aimless at times. It all gets at a common theme and touches several character arcs, but there's a lot that could have been cut from the movie and I wouldn't have missed it. The soldier's death with Briony is the best scene in the movie. To borrow from another reviewer, the first act really is the masterful piece of this movie, and the rest leaves something to be desired. The soundtrack though? 5/5
Rated 13 Jan 2008
77
74th
The heated drama takes a bit to get into, but Wright has directed a headstrong adaptation with solid performances across the board. The time shifts forward and backward sometimes confuse rather than further the story in seeing multiple points of view and the romance between McAvoy and Knightley feels a bit distant at times for this kind of film, but by the end it's a passionate and heartbreaking film.
Rated 07 Mar 2008
81
65th
Looks amazing, story is only okay. I think it's overrated.
Rated 06 Jul 2010
92
86th
The soundtrack alone is pure brilliance. Gripping, saddening, tricky film. The cinematography is beautiful and well-flowing, the performances quite solid even by the logpiece that is Keira, and the nonlinear style inspiring and effective in a film that seeps poetry and lyricism, illusive sensations and symphonic symmetry to complement the pace. Also - I wouldn't mind receiving Robbie's anatomical letter. And, judging from Cecilia's reaction, she didn't mind either.
Rated 24 May 2011
90
55th
tragic love story that i sympathize.
Rated 22 Feb 2008
76
37th
expected much more
Rated 21 Jan 2008
40
14th
4- might want to skip this one, not that hot :: overly manipulative and orchestrated
Rated 19 Jan 2011
59
20th
Beautiful but tasteless most of the time...
Rated 16 Mar 2011
65
59th
A very good, but maybe a very little too long start, one of the greatest tracking shots ever, and then down the hill, but not that steep. A good watch overall, but oh that tracking shot.. The guy on the ferris wheel in the background, man what a touch.. And as pickpocket said: "Keira Knightley acts as well as a board."
Rated 13 Nov 2017
86
72nd
BACK-FILLING WHOLE LOT OF FILMS NOT SEEN FOR A LONG, LONG TIME -> Recall/Scores may be 20-30% off. Not at all offended, grateful actually, if anyone wants 2 drop me a cordial msg if think memory dulled a gem or gave a rosy tint to a clunker. IE. Tell me WHY I am wrong & what U think I should've scored. Love film chat/debate
Rated 29 Dec 2007
70
51st
The first act is a masterpiece. The rest, your standard, typical period romantic piece.
Rated 24 Sep 2008
75
58th
nice film ... i liked a lot
Rated 10 Feb 2010
59
15th
Really disliked the way the story was told, as if to manipulate us. I know that what story telling is - but the listener/watcher is not supposed to notice. In this case it was obvious we were being played with. Underneath it all there is a decent story. But Knightly the speed-mumbler doesn't really help things, and although I do like McAvoy, he on his own, is not enough to save this. Good performance by up and coming Irish actress Saoirse Ronan.
Rated 11 Sep 2010
90
83rd
b e a u t i f u l
Rated 10 Jul 2012
81
72nd
Atonement features strong performances, brilliant cinematography, and a unique score. Featuring deft performances from James McAvoy and Keira Knightley, it's a successful adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel.
Rated 26 Oct 2012
74
70th
* Casting, Acting : 8 * Script : 8 * Directing, Aura : 8 * Ease of Viewing : 6 * Naked Eye : 7
Rated 21 Sep 2016
72
50th
Clumsy final act drags down what is otherwise a beautiful movie.
Rated 05 Aug 2008
87
87th
As an IMDb user said, this is pure poetry on film. It feels as the book does, and brings the novel to life. Not too crazy about Knightly though.
Rated 12 May 2008
99
94th
Despite its vulgar underpinnings, this film is stunningly beautiful, and powerful. The scene of Dunkirk is the most visually moving piece of moviemaking and cinematography I have ever seen.

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