I’m not fond of chic flicks, but I sometimes watch them to remind myself what I am missing, and then hopefully it keeps me away again for a while. Now I am not for one moment putting Atonement into this category, hell not for a moment, but it is a love story / romance, and another genre I cannot easily view, unless it happens to be a good enough film and THAT is where Atonement makes its entrance.

Joe Wrights direction and screenplay by Christopher Hampton combine to make this a rich experience in terms of the visuals and dialogue, right out from the opening scene with the typewriter, and the bee trapped and manically looking for escape at the window. The period setting and lushness of a mansion house in the heat of summer are painstakingly captured, and an excellent soundtrack adds depth to each event. The characters are played to brilliant effect, so much so that in some scenes you feel as though you are almost enveloped in the moment with them, so well are they portrayed.

The story unfolds as a gathering in the mansion in the summer just before the war, Cecilia (Keira Knightley) visiting from Cambridge seemingly aloof in her middle class world, but there is a clear sexual chemistry with Robbie (James McAvoy). Her sister Briony (wonderfully played by Saoirse Ronan) is a writer and at a precocious 13’ish of age, creates a fictional account of the sexual activities between Cecilia and Robbie. Watch (as if you could miss) Kiera in her green dress, she was born to wear that, sumptuous and stunning! Without spoilers, suffice to say that accusations abound regarding an incident witnessed by Briony that cause suffering aplenty, fracturing the splendour of that summer, and causing repercussions which extend into WW2 and beyond. The much vaunted horror of war moments around the Dunkirk scenes were in some ways superfluous – but you felt the momentum of the film increase along with it and rebuild tension, I say rebuild because there are some moments when the attention wanders a little, nothing is perfect.

The characters build as their experiences of war and their lives and parts played, in the case of Briony as a nurse in another attempted act of penance. Indeed, the twist of the film is the novel within a novel, and the attempt at β€˜atonement’ for earlier misdeeds.

This is a bold endeavour, technically well shot, excellent cinematography, sound and soundtrack, with superb performances from the whole cast, it is meticulously detailed, and a very credible account of relationships in a period piece. I was immersed in the movie, as much for the characters as the visuals, and that is the sign of a good movie experience.

8/10 - Another well structured title with great performances and visuals – a few dull spots are forgivable, but the last third is a little unravelled as the transition between real and imagined imagery rankles. The ladies will be more smitten with the overall theme than the gents, but if you like film, it is one to watch.