Brenda Blethyn, James McAvoy, Keira Knightley

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. Based on the British romance n...( read more  read more... )ovel by Ian McEwan.

Flixster Users

79% liked it

93,039 ratings

Critics

82% liked it

198 critics

R, 2 hrs. 3 min.

Directed by: Joe Wright

Release Date: September 7, 2007

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DVD Release Date: March 18, 2008

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Stats: 34,336 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (34,336)


  • June 11, 2009
    Atonement is a great film. Amazing the difference in the lives of Robby, Cecilia and Briony caused by the accusation of rape by Robby. I have always enjoyed historically-based movies, and Atonement does a great job of portraying the early part of WW II before the British are ev...( read more)acuated from France back to Great Britain.

    The ending frustrates me as the author Briony in her 70's writes one ending for her book Atonement, but tells us of another ending.
  • April 21, 2009
    A bumbling fool writes a love letter, and then a dirty sex letter, and accidentally sends his lover the latter. When follows is surprisingly not the next Charlie Chaplin comedy, but the most heartbreaking and amazing movie romance of the year!
  • March 12, 2009
    a wonderful film, the cinematography and musical score being the strongest points. the performances were pretty good and the diologue solid, the only major downside was the persona's of the characters. ultimately there were very few likeable characters in the film leaving me di...( read more)sspassionate about their fate's, but the film was well done and worth the watch. the more i think about the film over time the more open i am to its value.
  • February 8, 2009
    Beautiful Cinematography, but I hated most of the characters (sans McAvoy) although the acting was quite good.

  • December 2, 2008
    Sad movie! I was expecting a completely different ending. The acting was good though.
  • November 6, 2009
    this movie is very funny and tomantic. I dont know who is my favorite character, but i think i really like the scene where the princess Fiona is singing with the blue bird in the morning!
  • October 31, 2009
    such a sad...but stupid story.
  • October 31, 2009
    Great score, great story, great acting. Perfect.
  • October 31, 2009
    Not gripping, but a good story and great acting.
  • October 31, 2009
    !Comercial or Stupid! :|

Critic Reviews


December 14, 2007
Pete Hammond, Maxim

This chick-lit flick is an 'English Patient' style epic. full review

December 12, 2007
Marcy Dermansky, About.com

The film wholly transports you into the lives of fictional characters, making their pain, passion, and regret more real than anything else. All of the elements come together to create a near perfect f... full review

December 7, 2007
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

This is one of the year's best films, a certain best picture nominee. full review

December 6, 2007
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Wright has made a film that honors the imaginative responsibility of an adapter. full review

December 6, 2007
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Atonement is an almost classical example of how pointless, how diminishing, the transmutation of literature into film can be.

December 5, 2007
Armond White, The New York Press

Done-in by his own self-importance, Wright overwhelms the story's personal tragedy with extravagant depictions of his love triangle's different fates. full review

December 3, 2007
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker

I hardly believed a word of it. full review

December 3, 2007
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

The film is absorbing and evocative. full review

November 28, 2007
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

It's some kind of miracle. Written, directed and acted to perfection, Atonement sweeps you up on waves of humor, heartbreak and ravishing romance. full review

View more Atonement reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • love2072000
    April 12, 2009
    this is one of the best movies i've seen so far...love it.
  • SeleneBlack
    September 9, 2008
    I don't think either this movie deserves that oscar.
  • riseandfall2000
    May 6, 2008
    this is one of the wonderful movies , and since its real story , its really so sad
  • pavacri23
    April 25, 2008
    i don't think the movie is enough good to deserve the academy award
  • catsy29
    April 18, 2008
    Totally agree with the bottom comment!..Atonement deserved that Oscar!
  • karthu1993
    April 15, 2008
    Atonement deserved the oscar more than no country for old men.
    Keira knightly has acted well, so did James mcavoy and others.
  • aftrs
    April 9, 2008
    This was good i thought - a bit confusing at first the way it went from the past to the present - but I soon got use to that.. How very sad that Robbie and Cecillia didn't end up togther and that they both died way before there time.... good story - but tragic
  • gyvette
    April 5, 2008
    as very good movie. sad, but I loved it.
  • FabiSebien
    March 23, 2008
    Saw it on DVD, and I LOVE IT. James McAvoy, and Keira Knightley in the same movie is THE best. Soairse, first time I've seen her, and she was soo good. Sad, but beautiful.
  • quoththeravennevermore
    February 3, 2008
    cannot wait for this film! it has yet to come to my town, but i bought the soundtrack, and it is riveting. keira knightley is beautiful, and i'm curious to see her do a love scene with "mr. tumnus"

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Atonement Trivia


  • who's the british director of Atonement?...(he also directed Pride & Prejudice)  Answer »
  • In What movie did Jessica Alba not participate in?  Answer »
  • In the movie Atonement, Briony and Cecilia are:  Answer »
  • Of the following nominees, which movie won the 2008 Golden Globe for Best Picture - Drama?  Answer »

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