7.8/10
244,303
661 user 306 critic

Atonement (2007)

Trailer
2:37 | Trailer
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)
Reviews
Popularity
471 ( 119)
Won 1 Oscar. Another 50 wins & 149 nominations. See more awards »

Videos

Photos

Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Saoirse Ronan ... Briony Tallis, aged 13
Ailidh Mackay Ailidh Mackay ... Singing Housemaid
Brenda Blethyn ... Grace Turner
Julia West Julia West ... Betty
James McAvoy ... Robbie Turner
Harriet Walter ... Emily Tallis
Keira Knightley ... Cecilia Tallis
Juno Temple ... Lola Quincey
Felix von Simson Felix von Simson ... Pierrot Quincey (as Felix Von Simson)
Charlie 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

Through the Lens of 'Darkest Hour' Director Joe Wright

See how director Joe Wright uses his signature tracking shots to set up a visual narrative for his films, including Atonement, The Soloist, and Hanna.

Watch the video

Edit

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. Written by garykmcd

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Joined by love. Separated by fear. Redeemed by hope. See more »

Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | War

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing war images, language and some sexuality | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

For scoring, Dario Marianelli reconvened key Pride & Prejudice (2005) collaborators, including - to perform the score he composed - the English Chamber Orchestra. See more »

Goofs

The birthmark under Briony's right eye is too close to the nose on the portrayal of Briony at 18 years old, compared to the other two ages. It also looks way too raised compared to that of her at 13 and 77 (which could understandably fade in later life). See more »

Quotes

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

Crazy Credits

The title types itself out like on a typewriter. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Janeane Garofalo: If I May (2016) See more »

Soundtracks

Bless 'em All
Written by Jimmy Hughes, Frank Lake
Performed by Paul Harper and The Dunkirk Soldiers
Courtesy of Universal Studios
See more »

User Reviews

 
my review
24 August 2007 | by guyolineSee all my reviews

Well, from the trailers I could tell this would be an epic film before I was even able to see it. I managed to attend a gala screening of the film last night and I thought it was amazing. Despite my constant dislike to Keira Knightly, I was unable to disapprove of her acting in this film. She has improved massively since the first pirates film. The film itself has an intriguing plot line which keeps you hooked throughout. The film includes humour at the start and fascination by the end. I loved watching this film and I enjoyed the smartness of the story. The film is cleverly done with jumps in time and different perspectives of events throughout which will leave you understanding the motives of each character more. The music is composed beautifully, the orchestral tunes accompanied with the clatter that a typewriter makes creates a beautiful piece of music that fits perfectly with the film itself. I have since begun to read the book, the only thing that the film lacks is the character depth that a book can write about but a film simply can't explain. I feel that the film shows what happened but the book is able to explain a little more as to why the events occurred. Overall the film was beautiful, brilliant and emotional.


180 of 283 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
Review this title | See all 661 user reviews »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more »
Edit

Details

Country:

UK | France | USA

Language:

English | French

Release Date:

11 January 2008 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Atonement See more »

Edit

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
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »

Contribute to This Page

We've Got Your Streaming Picks Covered

Looking for some great streaming picks? Check out some of the IMDb editors' favorites movies and shows to round out your Watchlist.

Visit our What to Watch page



Recently Viewed