I believe Atonement, directed in 2007 by Joe Wright lived up to the expectations built up around it. I thought it was a dramatic and deeply moving film with a clever choice of actors and actresses and high-quality scenery.
It is the story of a romance between Cecelia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie (James McAvoy) which is destroyed by Cecelia’s sister who accuses Robbie of a crime he did not commit.

The chemistry between Keira Knightley and James McAvoy works very well in this film and Keira Knightley’s acting which I personally thought came across as quite wooden in Wright’s previous film ‘Pride and Prejudice’, worked very well in this film and fitted the character of Cecelia perfectly. James McAvoy was also very convincing as his character and was the main focus in a lot of the most moving scenes.
The three different actors playing Briony (the younger sister) were also impressive as they managed to keep the character of Briony consistent despite the big age gaps.

The other aspects of the film I enjoyed were the music, which incorporated the sound of the type writer which is significant for a lot of the events that happen in the film. The camera work and lighting also created the right atmosphere for the film, and I thought the order of the scenes worked well as the backtracking meant the audience of the film could see different scenes from the point of view of other characters.

Overall I feel Atonement captures the essence of the 1930’s and Second World War while using contemporary filming techniques to give the film a more modern edge.
In conclusion, an enjoyable and captivating film.