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| Atonement (Widescreen Edition) | 
 enlarge | Actors: Keira Knightley, James Mcavoy, Saoirse Ronan, Brenda Blethyn, Harriet Walter
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.98
Buy Used: $7.30
You Save: $22.68 (76%)
New (55) Used (69) Collectible (1) from $7.30
Avg. Customer Rating:  245 reviews
Sales Rank: 754
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 130
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.5
MPN: 61033285
UPC: 025193328526
EAN: 0025193328526
ASIN: B0013XZ6X4
Theatrical Release Date: January 4, 2008
Release Date: March 18, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
From the award-winning director of Pride and Prejudice comes a stunning critically acclaimed epic story of love. When a young girl catches her sister in a passionate embrace with a childhood friend her jealousy drives her to tell a lie that will irrevocably change the course of all their lives forever. Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley and James McAvoy lead an all-star cast in the film critics are hailing "the year's best picture" (Thelma Adams US Weekly).System Requirements:Running Time: 123 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/LOVE & ROMANCE Rating: R UPC: 025193328526 Manufacturer No: 61033285
Amazon.com
Director Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice) gives Ian McEwan's bestselling novel a sumptuous treatment for the screen that should come to be regarded as one of the defining films of the epic romantic drama. Indeed, everything about this film stems from those three words: there is little here that is not epic, romantic, and dramatic, and Atonement is a film that masterfully expresses the overarching sense of adventure and emotion that such stories are meant to convey. In this instance, the story centers around the love story of highborn Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley) and housekeeper's son Robbie Turner (James McAvoy, in a star-making turn), in England shortly before World War II. Despite their class differences, they are powerfully attracted to each other, and just as their relationship begins Robbie is tragically forced away due to false accusations from Cecilia's younger sister Briony (Saoirse Ronan). She has a crush on Robbie, too, and after reading a private letter he sent to Cecilia, and then witnessing the first expression of their mutual love but mistaking it for mistreatment, her resentment grows until it leads to her telling the lie that will send Robbie away. Soon World War II breaks out; Robbie enlists and is posted to France, Cecilia is a nurse in London, and Briony, now age 18 and aware of what she has done, tries to atone for her actions--but none of them will be able to get back what they have lost. Knightley and McAvoy are perfectly cast as the young star crossed lovers, and the young Ronan is particularly impressive, but it's clear that the real star of this film is the director. Wright allows Atonement to revel in every moment of its story and each scene is compelling in its own way, but that now famous extended shot with Robbie on the beach at Dunkirk--filmed in one take and sure to be considered one of the great long tracking shots in film history--is the most memorable moment in this remarkable film. Atonement is an excellent example of what can happen when a great book meets great filmmaking. This is one that is not to be missed. --Daniel Vancini
Stills from Atonement (click for larger image).
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| Customer Reviews: Read 240 more reviews...
Cinematically Great August 29, 2008
This movie was placed high on my list of "I want to see that" simply because I like Keira Knightley's work. She adapts herself to her roles brilliantly.
When the movie opened in pre-WWII England and we are invited into the mansion that serves as the backdrop I thought we would be treated to another boring film about class distinction. Class distinction, yes; boring, maybe. The cinematography on this film is beautiful. However, seeing the same scene replayed from different viewpoints seemed to me a bit overdone. Perhaps that worked in the novel but on the screen it slowed down the story line.
There are various twists and turns to the story and if you haven't read the book you may become confused. Until the very end, that is. When the wonderful Vannessa Redgrave takes over as Briony near the end of the film, that is when everything we've seen begins to make sense. A wrapping up of the loose story lines that seemed to flounder once the romance has gone awry.
Revel if you will in this movie's wonderful acting by a superb cast, perfectly recreated period scenes, and grand cinematography. As with every epic movie there is a message or moral here: life isn't always fair.
I am giving this movie four stars because of the multiple views of scenes - a couple of people who watched this movie with me came away saying that it was confusing to them. I tend to agree although once I figured out what the director was doing it was easier to follow.
Excellent but not 5 of 5. August 27, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Overall a very good movie. I didn't give a full five count for a few reasons. At first I thought the director was a little indulgent in making the mansion too much of a character in the film. I got the point of wealth early on, but the theme may have been trodden down a bit with the endless walking through the hallways. Next, it's been a while since I was in Britain and I found myself turning on the English subtitles in order to understand the dialog. The actors, especially Keira Knightley who plays the older sister Cecelia, talked entirely too fast. I have been in the conversations of aristocrats while in England and their manner is slow and deliberate, not speedy. I guess we're to surmise her younger years and impetuousness precipitates her very rapid conversation. I literally timed one sentence that was two full lines long spouted in about half a second...quite irritating. So much so, I turned off the movie and watched at a later time when the house was quiet and I could put on my headphones to listen. Next, and no fault of the movie, the plot. Nothing rubs me wrong more than an unjustly convicted perpetrator. I have lost count of how many times I've watched movies and TV shows where we know the hero has been locked up for a crime he didn't do. And, finally, as in all British movies, the pace was a little tedious. Watching the special features tells me the director was conscious of this and cut a few scenes to keep the main story alive. So, I guess by British standards, it was fast.
Now the things I liked. Some excellent performances by Knightley (save for the rapid lips) and McAvoy. The intensity was real and not contrived. And I liked how the director kept the intensity and theme with the use of the typewriter sounds in synch with the music and movement of Briony. The cinematography was excellent, especially the 5-minute walk-through of the chaos on Dunkirk beach. This was real epic film making with very few special effects. The director used some 1000 local extras to make it happen. Finally, although I haven't read the book, I was led to believe that the screenplay was rewritten to follow the book as closely as possible. This materialized into several flashbacks which could have been confusing until it was nicely rapped up with Vanessa Redgrave as the 77-year old Briony explaining the meaning of the novel "she wrote."
This is not a feel good movie, so don't expect your typical chick flick happily ever after ending. DO expect to be drawn into the story through some convincing performances, a well written screenplay, and beautiful cinematography.
 Atonement for the wrongs we do in our life time!! August 25, 2008
I started out thinking this was going to be another dumb war story.
To my surprise it turned to be one of the best movies I've seen in a while. A very good story about how you right the wrongs that you've done in your lifetime. This story takes place in England during World War II.
Asking if we really can right our wrongs is like asking, can you drive a vechile from New York to California on one tank of gas...NOT!!
But you will spend most of your life trying to ATONE for your wrongs!!
I rate this DVD a 10 from 1to10!!
Actually better than the book! August 24, 2008
What a phenomenal movie, with not a single weak performance or performer. Do yourself also a tremendous favor and buy the soundtrack too - absolutely haunting.
A Journey Through A Cinematic Masterpiece... August 21, 2008
This is not a pop-corn flick. There are no special effects to rave about. Whether you read the book or not is immaterial, though it is best to have read the book and then see this wonderful movie adaptation. And if you are the type of person who enjoys a good story with superb acting, then this one is for you. One thing that can be said of the British is that their actors and actresses are well trained in their craft. They can act.
Rarely has such a film taken one in an emotional roller-coaster ride and with such grace and effortless beauty. Who cannot laugh at Robbie's saucy note!...or felt profound sadness in the unfolding Dunkirk evacuation scene, while at the same time being in sheer awe of the talent up on the screen. James McAvoy & Keira Knightley, Romola Garai and the others are both sublime in their parts.
Director Joe Wright ('Pride and Prejudice' ) and screenplay writer Christopher Hampton have accomplished another wonderful movie adaptation. The film won an Oscar for Best Original Score at the 80th Academy Awards, and was nominated for six others, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay (Hampton), and Best Supporting Actress (Saoirse Ronan, playing Briony Tallis) of Ian McEwan's critically acclaimed labyrinthine novel of the same title. Atonement has generally been acclaimed as among the Top 10 Films of 2007 by numerous film critics association.
But looking back, I wasn't convinced that Briony fully understood just what she had done, even though she attempted to atone. She came out as arrogantly repentant....as if the surprise revelation at the end of the film when she was being interviewed, was another of her compelling reason for her craving, once more, to be in the limelight. To be honest, it would have been more appropriate if the film would have ended with Briony plainly stating, "What I have done was an outrageously horrible, stupid, and childish act. It destroyed people's lives and caused them heartache beyond what I could possibly understand. Now, I have to live with whatever is left in my brief, tortured existence. And that is a cross I alone will have to bear."
Here is a film with romance, humor, drama, a sweeping epic, poignant moments and tragedy set in a particularly period piece. The stunning Dunkirk sequence is already being hailed as an all time-classic scene, and rightly so. But for the most part, it was the impressive photography and lighting combined with the musical soundtrack, not to mention the story line that can take hold of an audience patient enough to pay attention. The reward is to witness, to understand and to feel an unfolding tragedy set in the evocative period of an already bygone era of the 1930's. (It was filmed throughout the summer of 2006 in Great Britain and France). And while it can be argued that in the end, despite her attempt, Briony failed to atone for her transgression, maybe the point in the story is that there is no real way to atone. It was too little and too late. What's done is done, and the realization that she had to accept responsibility in the playout of this magnificent tale of unrequited love... is the sole 'raison detre' of this beautifully poignant film.
5 out of 5
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