DVD Reviews

Atonement - Blu-Ray Review

By June L. Jan 26, 2010, 14:22 GMT

From the award-winning director of Pride & 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 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 calling "the year\'s ...more

In the tradition of epic romances such as “Gone With the Wind” and “Titanic” the film “Atonement” tells the story of a great love, spanning time from pre-World War II Britain to present day.

Directed by Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice 2005) these film stars Kiera Knightley and James McAvoy and is now available on Blu-ray.

Atonement opens in the years just before World War II. In scenes indicating wealth and privilege with the settings of fine country estates, viewers meet the sisters Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and Briony (Saoirse Ronan). Cecilia just home from college is entering the adult world and is a mixture of child and woman.

Her confusion as to who she is, becomes evident in her inability to make peace with her feelings about Robbie, the equally well educated but lower class son of the estate’s housekeeper (Brenda Blethyn.) The younger sister Briony at twelve years old, aspires to the wisdom and observant nature of a writer, but is woefully ignorant of the realities of human behavior.

Robbie (James McAvoy) is desperately in love with Cecilia, plans to continue his education and become a doctor. Although the lines and distinctions of class and position are blurring, there are remnants that are barriers for Robbie and Cecilia.

Add to the tension of the mix cousins whose parents have dumped them while they get a divorce, and Cici and Briony’s brother who brings home a friend who is the personification of greed and moral dissoluteness.

The idiotic mistake is made, and events occur to encourage misinformation and misunderstanding and a chain of events is set in motion. Repercussions from the original mistake cause several lives to be disrupted, and yet the romantic viewer hopes for a satisfying end to the travails.

Watching the progress of Briony from youth (Saoirse Ronan) through young adulthood (Romola Garai) to her mature years (Vanessa Redgrave) is a fascinating feat of acting accomplishment. The actress that plays the young Briony (Saoirse Ronan) is amazing to watch. She captures nuances and reacts with expressions conveying a vast amount of emotion within her physical acting as well as her words.

Followed by Romola Garai as the young adult Briony, we have another excellent portrayal of the character. Ms. Garai includes attitudes and expressions in her own performance that were seen in the young Briony, and does it so adeptly the transformation into an adult is seamless and very believable.

The jewel in the crown however, is Vanessa Redgrave as the elderly Briony. If you are not weeping at her story revelations, you will be at the superb and seemingly effortless performance she gives as the Briony who understands the horror of her actions and is now attempting to make some kind of Atonement.

The Blu-ray edition of Atonement enhances the beauty of the film’s settings. Both outdoor and indoor scenes are incredibly crisp and the colors are perfect for the tone of the scenes. Whether it is romantic or dramatic, the look of Atonement is precise and supports the fine acting.

Special features included on the Blu-Ray are deleted scenes, a featurette “Bringing the Past to Life: The Making of Atonement,” a featurette “From Novel to Screen: Adapting a Classic” and a commentary with Director Joe Wright. The Blu-Ray exclusive is an internet connection with BD Live.

This Blu-ray release of Atonement is a gorgeous treatment of an already stunning and beloved romance.