Atonement (2007)

Thirteen-year-old fledgling writer Briony Tallis irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit.

Director:

Joe Wright

Writers:

Ian McEwan (novel), Christopher Hampton (screenplay)

Stars:

Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Brenda Blethyn

Won 1 Oscar. Another 50 wins & 149 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Saoirse Ronan	...	Briony Tallis, aged 13
Ailidh Mackay	...	Singing Housemaid
Brenda Blethyn	...	Grace Turner
Julia West	...	Betty
James McAvoy	...	Robbie Turner
Harriet Walter	...	Emily Tallis
Keira Knightley	...	Cecilia Tallis
Juno Temple	...	Lola Quincey
Felix von Simson	...	Pierrot Quincey (as Felix Von Simson)
Charlie von Simson	...	Jackson Quincey (as Charlie Von Simson)
Alfie Allen	...	Danny Hardman
Patrick Kennedy	...	Leon Tallis
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Paul Marshall
Peter Wight	...	Police Inspector
Leander Deeny	...	Police Constable

Storyline

When Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), thirteen-years-old and an aspiring writer, sees her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) at the fountain in front of the family estate, she misinterprets what is happening, thus setting into motion a series of misunderstandings and a childish pique that will have lasting repercussions for all of them. Robbie is the son of a family servant toward whom the family has always been kind. They paid for his time at Cambridge and now he plans on going to medical school. After the fountain incident, Briony reads a letter intended for Cecilia and concludes that Robbie is a deviant. When her cousin Lola (Juno Temple) is raped, she tells the Police that it was Robbie she saw committing the deed.

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Plot Keywords:

world war two | rape | false accusation | sex | loss of virginity | 

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Taglines:

You can only imagine the truth.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing war images, language and some sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Post-production took nine months.

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Goofs

Any apparent continuity errors in the fountain scene - the position of the vase, the tennis shoes, Robbie's sitting position, Cecilia's strap slip, the buttons on her blouse etc. - are not what they seem: we are seeing the same event in different ways through different pairs of eyes.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Briony Tallis, aged 13: I finished my play.

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Crazy Credits

The title types itself out like on a typewriter.

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Connections

Featured in History Buffs: Dunkirk (2018)

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Soundtracks

Hot Throb
Written by Bastiaan Maris
Performed by The LHPO by Bastiaan Maris
Courtesy of Universal Studios

User Reviews

Amazing!!! Favourite Romantic Movie.

I was completely stunned when I watched Atonement yesterday. From the funny lines to the sad moments, this movie does not fail to amaze me. James McAvoy is by far the shining star in this movie, endowed with unfailing charisma and absolutely adoring accent. The score was impeccable, especially the sound of the typewriter. I loved the scenes from Dunkirk, the hospital, and ,of course, the mansion. It's truly an amazing movie that I consider to be the best of 2007's. The ending was rather sad, but it fits perfectly. Keira Knightley was ineffably wonderful with her charming beauty and brilliant performance. One should really go and watch it because it's a fulfilling experience. I personally give it 10/10.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Universal Pictures [Germany]

Country:

UK France USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

11 January 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Atonement

Filming Locations:

British Steel works, now Tata Steel works, Redcar, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$784,145, 9 December 2007

Gross USA:

$50,927,067

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$131,016,624

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Relativity Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1