Cinematic Splendor: ATONEMENT reaches the standard of the novel 
By A328S9RN3U5M68 on 2008-01-26
For those who have had the immense pleasure of reading Ian McEwan's ATONEMENT not once but several times, basking in not only the brilliant story/mystery but also in the inordinately beautiful language, rest assured that the film not only does the book justice in the transference to the screen, but in the hands of screenplay writer Christopher Hampton (we know that McEwan approved of the modifications as McEwan is one of the producers of the film) becomes even more clear in its realization of the complex plot and finds the visual beauty inherent in McEwan's prose. Joe Wright as director steers this story well, finding just the right amount of back and forth nonlinear development that formed the magic of McEwan's initial weaving.
The cast is uniformly superb. From the initial self-centered liar Briony Tallis (an impressive Saoirse Ronan) to the years' later sorrowfully guilty young nurse Briony (Romola Garai) to the 'epilogue' Briony of Vanessa Redgrave, the entire story is adroitly centered on this perpetrator of tragedy. But without the power of James McAvoy's falsely accused Robby Turner and Keira Knightley's tragic Cecilia Tallis the triad would not work. Even the smaller yet important roles assigned to Gina McGee, Brenda Blethyn, Jérémie Renier and countless others are played to perfection.
The cinematography by Seamus McGarvey captures not only the misty tranquility of 1935 pre-war England complete with creative use of luminous light sources as well as the raw brutality of the battlefields as England enters WW II. Dario Marianelli's music score (much of it played by pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet!) incorporates the superb Sir Thomas Beecham recording of 'La Boheme' with de los Angeles and Björling as incidental music to the typing of Robby's fateful note and then proceeds to incorporate the typewriter as if it were an instrument in his orchestrations.
Rarely has this viewer been so moved by a film (and perhaps that may have been related to just having heard a performance of Britten's WAR REQUIEM at the Los Angeles Philharmonic the previous night!): it is the perfect marriage of novel, cinematic realization and commitment on the part of all concerned in the creation of this superlative film. Highly Recommended on every level. Grady Harp, January 08
Unforgiven
By A3NH7PYU4AD5GA on 2008-01-05
You will appreciate the movie more if you have read the novel. It is not a straightforward love story and definitely not a war epic. It is also not an English society story from the 30s, though it starts as such. A young girl with writing ambitions has her share of frustrations with family and with a failed crush. She sees things and misunderstands them involving her elder sister and her crush. This leads to false accusations, a wrong arrest, a life badly damaged, a love unfulfilled. The script handles the misperceptions of the girl perfectly, we get to see things in different versions. It is like time moving in loops.
The middle part shows us the struggles of the two separated lovers towards getting back to each other in the middle of war. Dunkerk for him, London hospitals' nursing wards during the bombing of London for her. The younger sister repents and tries to make up, but is rejected.
The final and shortest part is set in the recent past and has the former young girl explain what happened. You will find that the story makes perfect sense and is well constructed.
The book was one of McEwan's better ones. The movie is on par with the novel: I have rarely seen a better adaptation of such a novel. The script deserves an Oscar, as does the cinematography. Some of the images are outstanding, e.g. the 3 soldiers walking dejectedly and lost through France or Flanders towards uncertainty and Dunkerk, and the we see a bomber fly over them, but we see it only as its reflection in the small canal. Look at the pictures!
The cast is excellent and I disagree with those who think that KK is miscast, though her performance in Pride and Prejudice was more impressive.
3 1/2 Stars: Lies 
By A1TJPMB7N776WS on 2007-12-26
When the luminous Vanessa Redgrave as Briony, the elderly woman who seeks atonement throughout this film, takes the screen at the very end of "Atonement," this film finally makes sense, catches fire, and becomes thoughtful and meaningful. Redgrave adds Weight to the proceedings: something sorely lacking in this "Epic" love story.
With that being said, I found "Atonement" a very beautiful and stunningly produced film. For once, the shifting between time periods and between the lives of Briony (as a child, as a young woman and as an elderly woman), Cecelia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie (James McAvoy: finally coming into his own with this subtle, heartfelt performance) is not a problem, does not confuse but instead adds texture, friction and verisimilitude: this is a film of remembrance after all...of events, reactions and situations recalled by Briony at various stages of her life: a life seemingly dedicated to righting a wrong from her young life.
In fact, "Atonement" is a film of penance. A film about a Mistake, a Misinterpretation, a film about a child's misplaced, unwanted and unwarranted love gone awry. Director Joe Wright ("Pride and Prejudice") carefully even reverentially directs this material which in several ways reminds me of Lillian Hellman's "The Children's Hour" in that a child is at the center of a controversy and her words literally cause big problems for an adult. Oddly enough Briony and Mary in "TCH" are both of a so-called "elevated" social class while the object of their invective is not. Wright should have mined this conflict between classes a lot more than he does. As it is, it is dropped and instead "Atonement" becomes less than what it could have been.
McAvoy's Robbie, though from simple beginnings, is obviously meant for great things. His mentor is Cecelia's father and he is off to Cambridge very soon after the film begins. McAvoy plays him with just the right amount of bragadaccio and humility: he knows he's smart, he knows that he is a star yet he knows his place...at least for the time being. Knightley's performance is more problematic. Her reactions sometimes smack of something akin to that of an American high school cheerleader in their lack of depth and feeling.
But, no one can deny the sexual heat that she and McAvoy produce in their terrific scenes together. You truly believe that these two could/can/would bed each other: the penultimate scene of Cecelia and Robbie in the Tallis estate library both clawing at each other like two cats in heat... reeks of musk, bristling stiff starched clothing and silk underwear.
"Atonement" then is not a complete success but instead is an example of lost opportunities on the one hand and of a director adhering too close to the source material on the other. Despite all of this, this is a film of uncommon physical beauty. If only the thought processes behind this film could have matched or surpassed the physical concerns we would have had a major triumph here. As it is, "Atonement" is merely a good not a great film.
You can sum it up in just a few sentences
By APZC5PRJVM0PY on 2008-03-19
I'm in the minority here, I know that, but when I sat through Atonement I just couldn't find any "story" to get involved in. The plot was so basic, the characters so shallow, the ending so obvious that I felt it drug on for an hour longer than it needed to.
SPOILER ALERT
Atonement: Two sisters. Elder sister finds herself in love with a boy that the younger sister has a "crush" on. Younger sister tells a lie that sends the boy away to prison and distances the sisters for the remainder of their lives. Elder sister goes to nursing school and meets boy (released from prison to serve in the army). Elder sister and boy both die young, meaningless deaths before they can be together so younger sister writes a novel where the two wind up together to "Atone" for what she's done. Only when she is on her deathbed does she admit that it never came to be. The end.
Completely mesmerizing
By A3KEZLJ59C1JVH on 2007-12-18
"Atonement" is a great example of an excellent book that was seamlessly adapted for the big screen.
Based on the novel by Ian McEwan, "Atonement" is the story of Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), a 13-year-old girl growing up in England in the year 1935. Briony is a very intense girl who is obsessed with storytelling. She witnesses a series of events between her older sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley), and Robbie (James McAvoy), the son of the Tallis family's housekeeper. Briony things she understands what she sees, but she really doesn't. When a terrible crime is committed, Briony points the finger at the wrong man, sending an innocent person to prison and leaving Cecilia absolutely devastated.
This is an amazing story about love, truth, and justice. I have read McEwan's novel, and I was blown away by how well this story transferred to the screen. Everything in the film looked just the way I'd envisioned it when I read the book, which is a great testament to the filmmakers. I was very impressed by many of the performances in the film, especially those of the actors portraying young Briony, Cecilia, and Robbie. Ronan is a superb young actress whose portrayal of Briony is absolutely brilliant. Knightley seems to get better and better with every film she makes, and "Atonement" is no exception. She brings Cecilia to life on screen and makes her evolve from a selfish girl with a high-and-mighty attitude to a passionate woman who will do anything to be with the man she loves. The on-screen chemistry between Knightley and McAvoy is unbelievably intense (that library scene...wow!). I think Cecilia and Robbie will become one of cinema's most treasured couples, right up there with Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler.
I also need to mention the amazing cinematography in the film, as well as the music. There are many spectacular camera shots in the film, and dramatic uses of light to enhance certain scenes. The film's score integrates Briony's pounding typewriter keys into the music of the entire movie, which is seamless and incredible.
I only have two small gripes about this film. First of all, the ending of the movie slightly differed from the ending of the book, and I don't understand why it was changed. Secondly, I wasn't thrilled with Romola Garai's portrayal of Briony at age 18. She just wasn't as creepy and intense as Ronan, which was disappointing. However, it's possible that I'm being overly critical of Garai just because Ronan was so utterly fantastic in her role. It would be a lot for anyone to live up to.
Overall, "Atonement" absolutely dazzled me. I appreciate that the film is so true to the book in every way, and it was wonderful to see this amazing story come to life. This is a must-see that has "Academy Award winner" written all over it.
- moves the heart
By A2ZNG3EXD1KPNO on 2007-09-05
Looks as good as the book, casting is superb, music is chilling. Gotta see it soon.
- Should have been better
By A2GPEV42IO41CI on 2008-01-10
It is 1935, and wealthy Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightly) loves Robbie (James McAvoy), the housekeeper's son. A scandalous accusation against him by Cecilia's little sister separates the two lovers. And then, the War begins.
I really wanted to like this movie. I'd heard it was a grand love story played out against the agonizing backdrop of World War II. Well, it left me cold. I didn't feel anything for Cecilia or her sister (they both seemed pretty shallow and spoiled to me), and although James McAvoy is handsome and sincere, I didn't know enough about Robbie to care about him. The movie's first third is shown in quick scenes with dialogue that wasn't always easy to understand. It was rather perfunctory and, with no backstory to show how this love developed or what they are like as people, I didn't connect with anyone.
The manor house set is lovely, and the war scenes are well-done and suitably grizzly, but the story just didn't pull me in. I was disappointed.
- Despite good performances...left me cold and frustrated.
By A2R1HAXRNU0QX7 on 2007-12-23
I have never read ATONEMENT (although I own the book, it has somehow never made it to my nightstand), so I brought no preconceived expectations, except that the story was emotionally shattering and the ending is supposed to be a mindblower.
Based on the movie, neither expectation was even close to being met. This is the story of the Tallis family, whom we meet in 1935, at their country estate in England. Oldest daughter Cecilia (Keira Knightley) is secretly but chastely in love with young Robbie (James McAvoy), the son of the housekeeper, who apparently received a scholarship to a good school as a young man, and actually is anticipating going to medical school. These two have obviously known each other for years, and the heat between them is just starting to really get cranked up. This is unfortunate, because on this particular day, Cecilia's 13 year-old sister Briony seems to be making a habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is an aspiring writer, and clearly thinks very highly of herself. While both sisters clearly are children of privilege and have a somewhat haughty attitude, young Briony is also a smart child whose self-esteem has probably been inflated to an inappropriate level.
So the heat turns up on the two young lovers, and Briony is there to not only read a note from Robbie to Cecilia, but to catch them in a couple of intimate acts. She misunderstands what she is reading and seeing, and this leads to disaster for Cecilia, and particularly for Robbie, who is accused of a horrible crime and sent to prison.
This covers nearly the first half of the film, and this part of the film is quite compelling. It's well-written, very well acted and oozes with atmosphere. We feel everyone simply languishing...bored and open to getting into trouble. It's dramatic stuff, and when the "act" ends with Robbie arrest, we anticipate an escalation of events and emotions that will take this film to the "shattering" levels.
And here's where the film falls nearly completely apart. Robbie is allowed into the army after 4 years in prison, and we see him at Dunkirk, the site of the historic evacuation of British troops from the mainland back to England. This daring and costly evacuation of hundreds of thousands of troops was a turning point in the early days of the war...if the evacuation had failed, Britain would have been routed, and Germany could have invaded the island. As a viewer, we are told none of this...we had just better know it. However, we are instead allowed to follow Robbie as he wanders through some fields, sees some horrific sights and generally looks like a guy who has been through hell. There is a scene on the beach that shows us the immensity of what the troops face. It is about 5 minutes long and is done in one long take. Technically, it is truly impressive...dramatically, it serves almost no purpose. It shows off for no reason.
Back in England, we see that Cecilia has become a head nurse and is estranged from her family. Briony, a nurse-in-training, continues to write and apparently is still eaten up by guilt at what she has caused...because now, of course, she believes that what she saw was mis-interpreted.
So we see some scenes of these three characters grappling with the ware. So is this a war movie? Why so much emphasis on the war when what we've been led to be interested in is these three characters...who play second fiddle to the war for nearly an hour. War scenes are certainly inherently interesting, but in ATONEMENT they should be supplementing our understanding of the characters not overwhelming them. By the time the brief third act starts, and all the surprises are revealed, we have pretty much stopped caring about the characters. And the surprises really aren't that surprising. The whole tone of the movie, and the way it has played around with time makes it a bit unsurprising when the truth is revealed. I won't say I saw it coming...but I also didn't really feel surprised. My wife felt the same.
Another problem is the character Briony. She is unlikeable throughout the film, at all ages. We aren't given a reason to sympathize with her, as she goes from arrogance to cowardice to regret. Big deal...none of those feelings compare to the damage she has wrought.
Everyone does a decent acting job, and technically the film is accomplished. But director Joe Wright doesn't handle the tone of the film well enough for us to accept all the shifts and leaps. And without knowing the book, I have to say that the script, particularly later in the game, is pedestrian and truly fails its characters. It's almost like the first half of the movie and the second half were written and directed by different people.
I can't say I cared much for the film. It's been nominated for a lot of awards, so clearly others will react to it with more affection. But it left me cold.
- Stunning.....
By A3B87UZLPCF0HW on 2007-09-21
Kiera Knightley and James McEvoy star, in Oscar winning performances, as two doomed lovers torn apart by lies and war. Director Joe Wright proves here that Pride and Prejudice was no fluke as Atonement is well crafted, superbly photographed and with an intelligent script makes this film a total success and triumph. Beginning in the summer of 1935 in an English Manor we are introduced to Briony, a precocious and over imaginative young writer. The film starts as she tries to understand the relationship between her older sister Cecilia (Knightley) and the housekeeper's son Robby (McEvoy). After a horrendous attack on their cousin, Briony's innocence, naivety and jealously leads her to put the blame on Robby who is immediately taken away to jail. Cut to 1940 and Robby, who got the chance to join the army, is now an evacuee in Dunkirk. Cecilia is a nurse in London as is Briony. What follows is Briony trying to come to terms with what she has done and trying to make peace with her sister. From the lush Countryside to the bleakness of the beaches of Dunkirk the photography is spellbinding. The direction is first rate with a stunning tracking shot of Dunkirk. Also the music and the use of the sound from the keys of the typewriter are used to perfect effect. The performances are first rate, notably Saoirse Ronan who plays the young Briony. While the film does lull a bit during the middle, the performances carry the viewer through it. A hugely enjoyable period/war drama, that's as ambitious as it is compassionate. A stunning achievement.
- Weak and disappointing
By A2SLA0SXRQV8M0 on 2008-03-08
Despite the critical accolades and awards, I found this movie very disappointing. Based on a novel by Ian McEwan, and directed by Joe Wright (who had filmed the latest movie version of Pride and Prejudice, much inferior to the BBC miniseries), the bulk of the movie occurs in a British country house during one day in the mid 1930s, in which a crime might have happened of might have just been the figment of the imagination of a fevered child. The main characters will feel for years the consequences of what happened that day. Since I'm totally uninterested on the life of England's upper classes, I was quite bored during a lot of the movie. And as if that wasn't enough, the final twist of the movie (in which Vanessa Redgrave has a cameo role) is totally insulting, and makes the viewer feels cheated. The engaging presence of Keira Knightley and newcomer Saoirse Ronan are among the movie's few virtues. On the other hand, the much praised scene set during the evacuation at Dunkirq is very show-offy in my opinion.
- Horrible movie!!
By A3KI9QQNHDEBEO on 2008-03-20
I don't even know what to say about this movie. It was shallow, dark, and without any kind of a silver lining. Keira Knightley can't act, which one could gather from watching "Pride and Prejudice". There was nothing in regards to any good conversation. It wasn't really a love story; it was a lust story. Ugh...I won't watch it ever again!!
- bait and switch
By A3KM9UA6MAVURN on 2008-03-27
I sat down to this movie with anticipation, knowing nothing but the trailers and thinking it was going to be an uplifting story of lovers separated by war, and the cinematography evidenced in the previews and trailers had convinced me it would be a real treat.
Well the cinematography is gorgeous and all the other period effects wonderful. The acting too, is not bad, and for the first fifteen minutes I watched in happy anticipation. Then the rot set in. The storyline took a tremendous dip, from which it never recovered. Suffice to say there's nothing uplifting about this story, and the only characters in it who enjoyed the least success and attainment of life's goals were the ones who least deserved it. I'm really not a great fan of bait and switch ads in movies, where a movie purports to be one thing, and when you come to see it, it's quite another. Obviously they didn't feel they could sell the story as it was. I also couldn't believe the premise of the story, that it required at least two people to be so completely without conscience, not just for a moment, but through horrendous consequences, and that Cee was so ineffectual that she couldn't have explained the situation or got at at least one of the accusers to get to the truth. Even the end of the movie has a twisting deception as to the outcome laid out in the middle, so to speak, so it's not just the previews that were misleading. On the whole, if you like movies that both deceive and concern deceivers, this is the movie for you. If you're looking for something more positive, stay away.
- A Portrait of an Artist
By A13D4E28S63SYF on 2008-02-26
ATONEMENT comes closer than any other film to explain a portrait of an artist. Or, in other words, what it is really like to be in the mind of a writer. Throughout ATONEMENT Briony exemplifies the role of a writer: she enjoys feeling like God (or believing that she is better than other people) and being in control of her characters--both in her fictional and "real" world. For example, she believes she is better than other people by talking down to them (her cousin, Lola, and the twins), not respecting other people's privacy (she reads Robbie's letter that is meant for Cecilia), and lying about a crime that has grave consequences for other people (Robbie, Cecilia and herself). She enjoys being in control by tricking Robbie into saving her when she really wasn't drowning, and preventing Robbie and Cecilia being together since she can't have Robbie for herself. She even changes the ending of the Robbie and Cecilia story to suit her needs of a novelist. In some ways, ATONEMENT is very much like a Woody Allen movie--especially THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO, BULLETS OVER BROADWAY, and MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY. There's a scene in ATONEMENT where Robbie is in an abandoned movie theater in Dunkirk. By having him stand in front of a movie screen, it is suggested that art imitates life and life imitates art and who can tell the difference between the two. This scene is very similar to a scene in MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY, which makes sense because Briony has difficulty separating her fictional world from her "real" world. She seems to think she can control the lives of the people around her as she does with the characters in her stories. I realize that the marketing department is trying to present ATONEMENT as a love story between Robbie and Cecilia. But I actually think the main character is Briony--both in the movie and book. ATONEMENT is one of the best movie adaptations--much better than THE ENGLISH PATIENT because it focuses on the main concept of the story and not on some sappy love story. It is also one of the best movies of the year. Of the five films nominated for Best Picture, the Academy Award should have gone to ATONEMENT. Highly recommended.
- Someone needs to atone for this movie.
By AR3HV5WH2I4B2 on 2008-02-29
A little girl is a playwright of sorts. She has a brilliant talent which comes with a wild imagination. She develops a crush upon her family's groundskeeper. The groundskeeper (James McAvoy Becoming Jane) however develops a lust for her older sister (Kiera Knightly. Domino (Widescreen New Line Platinum Series)) Because of more than one moment she witnesses, and information she happens to come across, her mind races and jumps to conclusions. These conclusions provide a crossroads in the path of each of their lives. Romance, tragedy ensues.
I'm not going to lie. I fully understand why this movie was nominated for so many awards. Knightly was not too horrible. She's a good actress, I just wish she'd cut down on the costume dramas. With the exception of Domino, I can't think of any mainstream, modern-placed film she's made. McAvoy is not an attractive person. Maybe some out there find him charming and good-looking, but not I. The cinematography was great; the five-plus scene upon the beach was a breathtaking achievement in itself for sure. The best was the Oscar winning score. With the genius weaving of a typewriter's sound and classical music throughout, it truly was an original score.
The problem is the story. I'm admittedly not a fan of Romance/Costume Dramas. I think they're paltry and worthless for the most part. This movie was over at about 90 minutes. The problem is; the writer and director just didn't want to admit it. By the time the ending crawled upon screen, the entire movie could have been summed up in three simple words; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda.
Needless to say this movie, in my opinion, should only be watched on a rainy day when you can't sleep.
- What Atonement???
By A33PNAQ33DGBJG on 2008-05-07
The Oscar nominations are getting worse and worse every year. Who are these people. This is an awful movie from beginning to end. It is a shame because the actors are superb in their field. The story may have been great as a book but the movie version is disgusting. Don't expect ANY of the romantic scenes they made into trailors for this movie. It is all twisted. I can't recommend this movie to anyone!
- Magical Tingles
By A19RAJY6R7USN0 on 2007-09-09
Starting a romance film with a group of unlikeable characters is not the best way to start a love story for me. Still it was shortly afterwards, that the story became interesting.
Based on the novel of the same name by British writer Ian McEwan and set just before and during the Second World War, Atonement stars Keira Knightley of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and James McAvoy of The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe. Yet despite Knightley and McAvoy receiving top billing, this is not their characters' story. The story belongs to the character of Briony Tallas who we ultimately see at three points in her life. At the age of 13 and in a wonderfully bitchy performance by young actress Saoirse Ronan, Briony is a girl who has a crush on Robbie Turner (McAvoy) and is jealous of his attraction to her older sister Cecilia. It is this jealousy that leads to the splitting apart of our lovers due to one big lie. And although the performance of Saoirse Ronan will be the most memorable Briony, for me the most interesting part of the story is the journey of Briony at age 18 (played by the beautiful Romola Garai of Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights) as she begins her atonement. It isn't until we see a much older Briony (played by acting legend Vanessa Redgrave) however that revelations are revealed and the complete truth is told.
If you're expecting a period drama for the whole family you probably won't find it with Atonement. This is due to the vulgar use of sexual language and the graphic grotesqueness of War. However for a few older members of the family they won't find anything they haven't heard of or seen before.
All in all, despite the high calibre acting from the cast, for me the majority of the movie moves forward at a 2 and a 1/2 out of 5 star movie pace, then when Briony is 18 much later on in the film it steps up to being a 3 and a 1/2 star movie. Thankfully when it comes to the final truth the movie becomes a 4 star movie due to a wonderfully special moment- There are some movies and TV shows in which a climactic sudden emotional reveal can spread magical tingles down your spine, and as Atonement progressed I did not expect to be getting that feeling at the end, but I did and I am so happy about that. And that was when the movie reached its peak, and where to better put the movie's peak than at the end.
- Truth or Consequences
By A3EE0H0NWQ9QVL on 2008-01-04
Child prodigy, Briony (Saoirse Ronan), is very capable. Using a typewriter in her family's stately English house, she is able to produce "stupendous" plays--as her mother says--while barely a teenager.
Her great work, however, is based on an actual experience. Seeing her sister Cecilia (Keira Knightly) from her window, she sees her undress in front of her suitor, Robbie (James McAvoy) in front of a fountain. Astonished, she looks away from the window. When she looks back up, Cecilia is drenched, having gone in the fountain. The whole scene seems mischievous, filled with passion. Shortly later, we see that scene played out again. But this time we see it properly from the couple's point-of-view. Robbie has become playful and careless. He eventually knocks a vase out of Cecilia's hand which breaks on the stone rim of the fountain with a piece going into the water well. Aware of its value as the family's most valuable keepsake, Cecilia strips of her clothing and dives into the fountain to retrieve the missing piece.
One of the main elements of 'Atonement' is deception. What a child sees can be misleading. As I watched the film, I kept thinking of 'Witness' and how in real life people can take matters out of context. One's view of an event can look very different from another`s. Much like Stranger Than Fiction before it, the movie blends, then sorts out fiction from reality.
Richly embellished in music that highlights the mood of every scene, and edited with such keen perfection as to be Oscar worthy, ('No Country for Old Men' being the other big contender in my mind.') 'Atonement' has a standard of excellence that seldom falters for a moment. The frenetic pace of the music, matched with the tapping of the typewriter, build up to some intangible suspense. Where the story is going, no one has a clue. Like many recent cinematic offerings, the movie starts to shuffle the time frames. Mainly it goes forward, but sometimes it backs up to show us a new piece of evidence. Although different in impact, the life changing incidents reminded me of the shuffling done in the recent film Before the Devil Knows You're Dead [Blu-ray].
From there Robbie's and Cecilia's lives are disrupted. Starting in 1935, the couple must later face the debacle of the Second Great War. What is so special about `Atonement' is the way it plays out the contrast between the fate that we all must face (in this case war), and the consequential choices that make or mar people's lives. While the ending isn't entirely neat and tidy, the resolution has a sweeping resonance that hardly teases the audience.
Besides yeoman craftsmanship by director, Joe Wright, and editor, Paul Tothill, 'Atonement' brings upper echelon performances to the screen. Christopher Hampton's screenplay adaptation (from a novel by Ian McEwan) is solid and keeps the emotional tension. 'Atonement' may not be as strong as last year's Notes on a Scandal, but it is a compelling piece of work, nevertheless. With all of its assets, this film may indeed bring a day of reckoning when it gets closer to the annual awards.
- Beautiful and glorious masterpiece that will visually and emotionally captivate you...
By ANCOMAI0I7LVG on 2008-03-20
At the very beginning of 2007 I was introduced to this film. I was surfing the web looking at upcoming `Oscar fare' and I stumbled upon a still of James McAvoy from this movie I had never heard of called `Atonement'. At the time I was too wrapped up in another buzzed about film (one that eventually turned into disappointment) to really give this one all that much attention, but as the year progressed forward and the buzz for `Atonement' kept growing I decided to give it a look. That's when I got my hands on Ian McEwan's novel; the source inspiration for this film. A few days later I was in tears as I turned the final page of the novel and I just knew that this movie was going to be something special. I just knew that if it was done right then it would be, quite possibly, the best epic romance ever filmed. Then I got the opportunity to see the movie and I must say it was everything I dreamed it would be.
The film (as well as the novel) follows a certain lie that destroys the lives of three people. Young Briony Tallis is a very imaginative child. At thirteen she possesses a maturity that is beyond her years, but it is also a false sense of maturity. This is to say that Briony only thinks she is mature. Briony and her sister Cecilia come from a very wealthy family and live in a beautiful home in England. Robbie Turner, the family housekeeper's son, has pretty much grown up with them like a brother and has been taken under the wing of their parents. While on the outset one might sense a sort of distain between Cecilia and Robbie it soon becomes apparent that that distain is in all actuality a grounded yet unexpected love.
Briony doesn't understand this love.
Through a series of events that are misinterpreted by Briony she draws some very unhealthy and inaccurate conclusions about Robbie and when a horrible act of violence is committed against Briony's visiting cousin Lola, Robbie is the first person to whom the finger points. This false accusation stakes the base or foundation for `Atonement'. As Robbie is imprisoned and then shipped off to war; as Cecilia writes off her family and begins working as a nurse awaiting Robbie's return; as Briony, stricken with guilt, forsakes her higher education to nurse wounded soldiers, we are always left with this impetuous lie hanging over our heads and lingering in the air.
The acting on the parts of the entire cast is flawless, but like many of the critics have already noted, there are three performances that stand out above the rest. James McAvoy turns in his finest performance to date as the accused; Robbie Turner. What I love about this performance is the fact that the emotions seem to peel away from him to reveal a man raked by pain and suffering yet determined to find his way back to the arms of his one true love. Keira Knightley once again proves that she is more than a pretty face (and what a pretty face) with her flawless portrayal of Cecilia. Her performance is delicate and precise; a very mature turn for which is a stark contrast to her other lauded performance in `Pride and Prejudice'. Both characters are drastically different yet similar in perplexity. She wears both very well. The character of Briony Tallis is separated among three actresses, one of which stands out among the rest. Young Saoirse Ronan plays Briony at age thirteen, the Briony who starts this downward spiral. Her performance is in a word `flawless'. She brilliantly captures the danger that rests inside innocent wonderment and displays an almost cold demeanor that, when analyzed closely, gives way to the immaturity within her character that she cannot accept. It's a marvelous performance.
The other two actresses that portray Briony are Romola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave. Both of them do a fine job but neither have the power that Ronan has. This may have to do with the fact that Ronan's part is lengthier and much baitier. Garai does a fine job in getting under Briony's guilt but she at times appears a tad lost, as if she's not sure what she should do next. This could throw some off but once Redgrave comes on the screen she answers a few questions we may have and sheds some light on Garai's seemingly odd behavior. Redgrave is miraculous in her very short scene but I feel that I can't really speak of it without giving too much away so I'll refrain from saying anything more.
The rest of the supporting cast is on point throughout. Young Juno Temple is memorable as the victimized Lola Quincey and brothers Felix and Charlie von Simson capture the innocence of Jackson and Pierrot beautifully. Patrick Kennedy portrays Leon Tallis with great brotherly attention and Harriet Walter and Brenda Blethyn portray opposite spectrums of motherhood memorably. Benedict Cumberbatch is noteworthy for his intense performance as Paul Marshall.
The real star here though, is none other than director Joe Wright. His attention to detail is miraculous. What I love about his approach here is that it is epic in its broad scope and flashy visual grace but delicate in that it never overlooks the little things. Sure, it's beautiful but it's also very intricate and cautious. Wright works very hard to do his source material justice and manages to do so with flying colors. Just look at the lauded Dunkirk tracking sequence; orgasmic to say the least; but more so, the library love scene is in my opinion the single best sequence in film this year. The way that Wright was able to create such raw lusty emotions without shedding an article of clothing; the way Knightley's head, stiff and tense, arches to stare McAvoy in the eyes and whisper "I love you"; every single detail just creates this flawless experience. Combine this with 2005's `Pride and Prejudice' and one can see that Joe Wright is setting himself up for a marvelous career.
`Atonement' is truly a very beautiful film, visually as well as emotionally. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey superbly captures the beauty that surrounds this masterpiece while Wright and his cast drip such flawless emotional detail. One can't help but absorb this films magnificence. Truly one of the best films to be released this year; a complete and memorable masterpiece; `Atonement' has a place alongside films like `Titanic' as one of the grandest and greatest epics ever filmed.
- A stunted movie about stunted lives.
By ACL6RWZ49DDI7 on 2008-03-26
It's not surprising that a male writer gave a 14 year old girl the emotional equipment of a boy, but that doesn't make it any more believable. While Americans aren't supposed to 'get' the cops vs. their upper class, the whole plot hangs on the flimsiest thread: one girl's hysteria vs a pretty solid alibi. Just how star-struck are the Brit-cops? To cap things off, the ending is bizarre, as if it had all been a dream. How dishonest is that? Even the acting is merely passable. There's way too much quivering of lips and eyes, goggling into space, all intended to show real emotion that just isn't there.
It's a pretty picture tho'. If that's enough for you, then this is your kind of movie. If you need a real plot, then it is not.
- The problems with "Atonement" are forgivable.
By AZCDCO6KK2T81 on 2008-06-02
Although I gave this film four stars overall, it is problematic. Having said that, this movie is stunningly filmed and very well acted.
The film has a wide appeal in that it's a period piece, a romance story, a war epic, and it's strongly centered around a theme we can all relate to, atoning for one's sin(s). In addition, the acting in this film is first-rate. Keira Knightly is both stunningly beautiful for such a fragile looking thing and shows that she can really act beyond her "Pirates" role to which this character is very far removed. Also, James McAvoy is terrific and gives another star making performance (as he had done in The Last King of Scotland ). All of the supporting cast members are equally excellent in this film. Of course, one of the film's greatest assets is its cinematography. This film is sumptuously filmed and the one take beach shot of the retreating British army is unforgettable.
However, the telling of the story is the film's greatest problem in that there are shifts in point of view and time periods with little or no lead in or explanation. Yes, I know they are intentional, but that doesn't mean they were done well. Even when one is paying attention to the film, the shifts are often abrupt and very distracting until one figures out what is going on. These shifts make the film seem disjointed and poorly edited. I'm not sure who is to blame for this approach as it could be the director, the writers, the editor or some combination of all three, which is where I think the blame does lie. Now, in spite of this very strong criticism, this is still an excellent film.
The plot is outlined by Amazon very well, but their praise is, in my view, rather excessive. In any event, you can read their summary which is informative and accurate. In short form, it's the story that spans about four years in which a very young girl has a crush on the son of a house servant who himself has a crush on the oldest daughter in the home. That quiet crush ends up being mutual and erupts into a secret love affair that is, unfortunately, discovered by the very jealous younger sister who feel betrayed by the boy and she sets out to destroy him. It's the classic, "If I can't have you, no one can" scenario. The young girl tells a huge lie that sends the boy to jail and then to war. She attempts "atonement" not by ever saying she's sorry or by recanting her vicious accusation, but rather by becoming a nurse and caring for wounded soldiers. The audience is left to decide if she achieves atonement or not by her actions.
For myself, I am rather old fashioned about forgiveness in that I think little can substitute for a sincere and straight-forward apology to the persons affected. How can one expect forgiveness if he or she never actually asks for it or even owns up to what he or she actually did? In addition, the person asking forgiveness needs to understand that a simple "I'm sorry" doesn't "fix" the problems created and some times an apology isn't enough and needs to be coupled with appropriate reparations.
Of course, the victim can certainly find it in his or her heart to forgive someone for a bad action even without the other asking for forgiveness, but that doesn't diminish the need/requirement of one to own up to what he or she did and simply trying to lead a better life afterwards, as done in this film, doesn't pay the bill entirely even though it is a praiseworthy thing to do. An apology ought to also be coupled by a change in behavior and in this story the young girl does this, but I am very disturbed by her reluctance to ever tell anyone what she did or, at the very least, ask forgiveness directly from the people she hurt so much.
Of course, the acceptance of an apology is often a tricky thing too and we have no clue how the main characters in this film would accept an apology if it was offered. For starters, one has to examine if the apology is sincere or not. Personally, I think people should be a graceful as possible in accepting apologies as it takes a lot of humility to offer an apology that includes noting the wrong that was done. All too often in our society today we have this need to win at all costs and even when someone gives us a heartfelt apology, we sometimes feel the need to stomp all over the person anyhow. Perhaps it is part of that eye for eye, tooth for a tooth mentality. One accepts the apology, but must get some revenge anyhow to "equal" out things. To me that's not accepting an apology as forgiveness means releasing a person from the burden of guilt he or she has with no strings attached. I can't help but think the characters in this story would have gone down this path had an apology been offered. Well, one can only hope.
Respectfully Submitted 06/08,
Steve Hedge
- Mesmerizing, Sensual, and Beautiful
By A1AYN3IIUNQCIA on 2008-02-26
Atonement is a exquisite work of a film. Both lush and heartbreaking, it just sweeps you off your feet into this movie going experience that you rarely experience now a days, completly wrapping you in its spell that has you transfixed through out the entire film, from its tone setting beginning to its heart wrenching finale.
On a particularily hot day in the English summer of 1935, young Briony Tallis witnesses a moment of sexual tension between her older sister, Cecily, and their housekeepers son Robbie. Far to young to understand the meaning of this event, she initially takes it as something negative and believes Robbie intends to harm her sister. So one night, she draws from her sexual naivete and childish ways to accuse Robbie of a crime he did not commit. Because of this small understanding and act of betrayel, Briony unwittingly sets into motion a series events that will ultimatly change the lives of her sister, Robbie, even herself for years to come.
Technically wise, the film just exceeds beyond what you have seen on film. The cinamatography and art direction are just flat out stunning. Everything just seems to radiate this ethereal and richly refined look in almost every single frame, from the warm pastels of the hot English country side to the cold, grim gray's of WWII, its almost as if you are viewing a work of moving art or better yet, your actually seeing the texts from the book just come alive on screen, which in my opinion is a very difficult feat to achive with a book of such intrisant detail and depth. It baffled me that the film did not win in those awards at the Oscars, which I felt they rightfully deserved.
All the acting is just phenomenal. Both Keira Knightly and James McAvoy are just fantastic as the star crossed lovers (and both shamefully snubbed by Oscar) and each three incarnations of Briony are all seemless. Saoirse Ronan shows off such a poise and grace that far succeds her teenage years as the young Briony, Romola Garai exudes a sense of remorse you can almost feel the weight of her actions on your shoulders, and finally, Venessa Redgrave tops it off in a devistating performance in just under seven minutes, all the sadness of her actions expressed in her eyes.
Christopher Hampton does an excellent job on the screenplay, adapting from such a complex and deep book that can rarely ever be done. And Joe Wright just excels in the directors chair (especially with the now famous Dunkirk scene) turning what could have easily been another sappy love story into something far more complex, from acts of betrayle, effects of war, and the sheer fantasy of ones mind. The music score is just so unique the way the composer uses the sound of clacking typewriters, as if the events going on in the film are being written at that exact moment in Briony's mind. What I also love about the film is the way the characters speak and act, with the whole naturalistic manner you saw way back in the 1930's where the words were given very promptly and in a very direct speech, its like an almost modernized version of all those old classic films, which will definently appeal to an older audience. Now, on that note, some people may be turned off by the whole speech thing (since a lot of people nowadays are not used to that sort of dialect) but its really not that big of a deal and after a few minutes, it is not a such a big deal.
Beautifully acted, masterfully shot, and experatly scored, Atonement is a movie going experience that should be seen by all, one that will follow you days after the final, haunting shot.
- Epic Sweep and Complex Character Arcs Bring Ian McEwan's Masterful Novel to Cinematic Life
By A13E0ARAXI6KJW on 2008-03-21
Cineastes will recognize the shadowy figure interviewing the elderly Briony at the end of this sumptuously produced 2007 film as director Anthony Minghella, who tragically passed away earlier this week. One can surmise that director Joe Wright's use of the estimable filmmaker for a well-placed cameo is something of a tribute to Minghella's work on similarly grandiose epics like The English Patient. Minghella would have been an ideal director for Ian McEwan's emotionally complex 2002 novel, as would have been David Lean since the film concurrently evokes the sweep of Doctor Zhivago and the intimacy of Brief Encounter (especially in the wartime tearoom scene). Regardless, Wright does an admirable job in translating what is essentially an interior story into something quite cinematic. Much of the film's measured success has to do with his and screenwriter Christopher Hampton's abiding fidelity to McEwan's time-juggling story structure.
The story is actually divided into two discrete parts. The first takes place on an inauspicious summer day at a rolling English estate in 1935 as precocious 13-year-old Briony Tallis writes a play for the children to perform at a dinner party that evening. She idolizes her beautiful older sister Cecilia and harbors a crush on the housekeeper's impassioned son Robbie Turner. When she sees the two together at the garden fountain, she presumes a situation more provocative than what really occurred. Later that evening, Briony makes a false accusation, and Robbie ends up wrongly accused of a crime and sent off to prison. The second part takes place five years later as Europe is engulfed in WWII. Robbie has moved from prisoner to foot soldier in France, aching over Cecilia while trying to get to Dunkirk in order to return to England. Cecilia has become a nurse, as has a now-grown Briony regretfully estranged from her sister. Where the story goes from there is startling and moving in ways that are quite unexpected.
I'm rather divided on the performances. As the headstrong Cecilia, Keira Knightley evokes old-school glamour with her coltish beauty in an impactful manner reminiscent of a young Katharine Hepburn, but her character dissipates somewhat as the story progresses. James McAvoy captures the boyish magnetism of Robbie while gaining gravitas as his idealized character faces the fatalistic horror of war head on. Together though, Knightley and McAvoy somehow just miss creating the image of enduring passion necessary to carry the core story. On the other hand, Briony allows three superb actresses to seamlessly show the character's evolving fate. As the adolescent, Saoirse Ronan dominates the first third of the film with searing self-possession. She makes us care about Briony despite her repugnant act of self-interest. Romola Garai takes over as a young, uncertain nurse caring for badly maimed soldiers in a London hospital. Finally, Vanessa Redgrave carries the last scene by providing the denouement with her characteristic authority and giving the title its true meaning.
All the production values are stunning - Sarah Greenwood's meticulous production design, especially in the Dunkirk scenes; Jacqueline Durran's simply designed period costumes; Dario Marianelli's stirring music score (with an effective if somewhat excessive use of typewriter keys to punctuate key scenes) and Seamus McGarvey's rich cinematography. Pay particular attention to the uninterrupted five-minute tracking shot at Dunkirk done with a Steadicam, a bravura set piece along the lines of the opening scene in Orson Welles' Touch of Evil. The 2008 DVD has a fairly standard set of extras for such an elaborate production - an informative commentary track from Wright; a comprehensive, half-hour making-of documentary, "Bringing the Past to Life: The Making of `Atonement'"; a five-minute short, "From Novel to Screen: Adapting a Classic", in which Wright, Hampton and McEwan discuss the transition on a cursory level; and seven deleted scenes, about eight minutes in total with optional commentary from Wright.
- 2 stars, but only because of McAvoy
By A2JU7WVSYXDOL9 on 2008-03-25
Aside from the admittedly steamy scene with McAvoy & Knightly in the library- I thought this movie is highly overrated. I'm so upset about that because I love me some McAvoy.
It was confusing from the get go for me because we don't get why the young girl, Briony, did what she did until later (apparently she had a crush on him too?) In addition, I had no idea why McAvoy wandered around France through most of the film- scenes that seemed to go on forever when a little would have went a long way. Just felt like a waste to me.
The ending with Redgrave playing an older now celebrated author version of Briony was sort of good- although ...
bit of a spoiler to follow:
... giving them a happy ending in her book? Totally unnecessary and, for me, unfaithful to the story she was telling. ...
end spoiler.
Her final actions were in no way an "Atonement" for what she did. I realized, Briony hadn't learned a thing- she was still making up stories, and that makes me feel less inclined to forgive her in the end. Sure this last bit was to "atone" for the first, but it cheapened their love if you ask me.
Major disappointment.
- boring stupid waste of time
By AJ9FC1GZOTA1O on 2008-04-15
i got suckered in at first--thought it might actually be watchable even maybe good-- the plot sickened instead of thickened and it became really annoying--dont waste yer time or believe the critics!!!!!! its junk----
- Confusing, and Disappointing
By A2SMV08YEHP2RX on 2008-04-15
I wanted to like this movie, I really did. But I didn't feel for any of the characters, I didn't know who they were or where they were coming from. And when you finally figure out what really happened, it's over.
In the end I was just left wondering how anyone could truly like this movie.
- Pretentious art-crap
By AECVYXIL9791R on 2008-05-15
Many years ago, my brother would refer to movies that are trying to be "art," and thereby sacrificing entertainment value, as "pretentious art-crap." Atonement is an example of that.
The damage starts with a score that cleverly incorporates the tapping of manual type-writer keystrokes. Only it isn't clever, its just annoying. Then the plot takes a turn for the incredible, as an intelligent young man makes a "mistake" that no one would ever make unless he wanted to: sending a typed obscene love (or lust) note instead of the more polite handwritten apology that he supposedly intended to send. Then he gives the pornographic note to a young girl to deliver to her older sister. Then he has sex with the older sister in an unlocked, public room. Then he goes to jail becuse the young girl, who has of course read the note and seen the sex, believes him to be a "sex maniac" and falsely tells the police that he was present at the scene of a sexual assault (which was not an assault, but consensual).
By the way, the film dwells on the young girl's complicity with an injustice, but the two parties most responsible for this gross miscarriage of justice were the grownups having consensual sex who allowed a rape to be confabulated by a silly a young girl. Why shouldn't they have to make atonement?
That's about it. Oh, if you're wondering about the titular "atonement," there isn't one. No one ever makes atonement, ever, for these people's life-destroying perjury. Frankly, the film is nonsense, and keeps getting worse and worse, and the story is not told linearly, but in fits and starts and flashbacks. The film is this way because ... well, because it is pretentious art crap.
Judging from the nominations and the awards for Best Picture of the last couple of years, the Academy voters have a yen for violent, nihilistic films. We're getting to the point where, if a film is nominated for best picture, that is a strong message to people of normal tastes and sensibilities to avoid the film.
- A superb interpretation of a brilliant novel...
By A3TSPLFYU2UMW0 on 2007-10-23
Novels don't come much better written or more complex than Ian McEwan's "Atonement" - a multi-layered, deeply thought provoking and beautifully structured exploration of the impact of human frailty on the lives of others, the nature of perception and misperception and, ultimately, the power of an author to make you believe that figments of their imaginations are in someway "real". So how on earth do you transfer this level of complexity to the screen?
Well, in this case, wholly successfully. Through beautiful cinema-photography, spot-on casting, a clever & brilliantly tense soundtrack, flawless screenplay that fully captures and, in parts, enhances the "feel" of McEwan's writing and, above all, direction of the highest quality that manages to recreate the atmosphere and twists & turns of the story, the film is as gripping, moving and reflective as the book. And the weaknesses? Only one... the reconstructions of Dunkirk and the soldiers' trek to it are too stylised and self-conscious and, as result, fail to reflect the bleakness and horror that McEwan projects. Which is a great shame as it's one of the novel's most evocative sections, but then, on the plus side, this is offset by a re-working of its closing scenes which is perfectly in tune with, but even more moving than the original.
All-in-all a superb interpretation of a brilliant novel... some feat and great credit to all those involved.
- Yes, it's all gloriously tragic.
By AE9JH12P0CETA on 2008-03-19
First off, I was a little fuzzy about the definition of the word atonement. So, after watching the film of the same name, I looked up the word in the dictionary. Pertaining to the film, the word atonement means a reconciliation or a reparation for an offense. Yes, the film ceratinly was.
Having not read the novel, I can't say that it followed closely to it or if it completely got derailed. However, watching the film was in fact like reading a novel. A few scenes are repeated to give other points of view and some scenes are even made up or even redone completely, depending on who's telling about them. It may get a little confusing to some. Had I not known the general synopsis of the film, I probably would have been. It's not rocket science mind you, but it does kind of throw the viewer off.
The film is about two young and gorgeous people who are torn apart by a lie and who, for the next four years, see each other in and out of a terrible war. It seems prettly simple but there's a little more to it that that. I was expecting a sweeping love story. It's not. You hardly feel anything for the tragic couple simply because there's no real solid background of them having been together. You just know that there's something between them from the begining. So in that sense, I found it hard to believe that these two were each other's soul mates or what have you.
Still, the film is extrodinarily beautiful. I patricularly liked the music very much. The concepts and ideas that it offered were intriguing if not fully realized. I liked the idea of a child having trouble not understaning adults; their actions, thoughts, and motives. It's a child, after all, that is the cause of such heartache for the two leads. But for me, the film just wasn't tecnically constructed right. It had great potential to be a sweeping love story. Insead it opt for being a miss mass of scenes (begining after Mcavoy is taken away by the police). It would jump around a lot and when it was done, it decided to back and change what I thought was an OK ending to a frustrating and unsatisfying ending. And the interesting thing about how it did end was that you realized the title's relevance. It does fit what really happened. Still, it doesn't make it satisfying. I was a little angered to tell you the truth. Yes, it's all gloriously tragic but I felt a little cheated.
'Atonement' isn't a terrible film at all. It's just a little dissapointing and I'm not speaking of it's "downer" ending. I love depressing films but the way 'Atonement' was presented was like changing the past and I just wasn't for that. Many people who are reading this review might be saying, "What the hell is he talking about? It's confusing." It is. And it was.
The film is really a **1/2 effort simply becuase I wouldn't want to watch it again. Once is enough.
- I really did like the beginning-I swear!
By A3UHWNH1PZYEUJ on 2008-04-08
The first half of the movie is good. The energy is high--the incorporation of the typewriter with the music in the opening...bravo! Well--done... But trust me, it's downhill from there.
This is the most overrated movie of the year! The best it gets is the preview--all of of the good bits are in the preview. What follows Robbie's (James McAvoy's) "capture"--is depression--followed by more depression--then some hope--and then some more depression.
It also really annoyed me how that little girl still wore that same freaking barrett into her 20s and then into her elderly years!! Okay--that;s just retarded...
And the ending? Don't get me started on the ending! I felt completely jipped! I won't ruin it for all of the poor souls--who insist that even after reading this review--to still waste their precious time on Earth on this movie. But the ending sucks--it's worse then the ending of "No Country for Old Men." Yeah, it's that bad. No, I got it! I got it! It's even worse than the ending of "Contact."
- Haunting!
By A2BDZAU0Y4J6NB on 2008-05-02
To discuss this magnificent film in a manner that does it justice would be to give the show away, as it were. Suffice to say, that the splendidly-acted "Atonement", which focuses on themes of communication and its failure, bears watching more than once, and, happily one has the option of using the director's commentary.
Particularly effective are the sequences of the evacuees at Dunkirk, which, instead resembling the heroic ballad "Bless them All" to promote the war effort that some of us grew up with, seem more like the nightmare images of the hellish background of the Flemish painting "St. Jerome at Prayer" by Hieronymus Bosch. Scenes that seem overblown at the moment of viewing will--like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle--fall neatly into place at the end, of which the word "stunning" does not constitute hyperbole.
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