Movie Information

Atonement

Atonement

Released: December 7, 2007

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Soundrack Albums

Song Credits

  • Clair de Lune
    Written by Claude Debussy
    Performed by Gordon Thompson
    Courtesy of Sanctuary Records Group Ltd
  • O Soave Fanciulla, O Dolce Viso
    from "La Bohème"
    Written by Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica, Giacomo Puccini
    Performed by Jussi Björling, Victoria de los Angeles and The RCA Victor Orchestra
    Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham
    Courtesy of EMI Records Ltd
  • (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover
    Written by Nat Burton and Walter Kent
    Performed by The Dunkirk Soldiers
    Courtesy of Universal Studios
  • Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
    Written by Charles Parry, John Whittier
    Performed by Bede College Choir
    Courtesy of Universal Studios
  • Keep the Home Fires Burning
    Written by Lena Ford, Ivor Novello
    Performed by The Dunkirk Soldiers
    Courtesy of Universal Studios
  • Bless 'em All
    Written by Jimmy Hughes, Frank Lake
    Performed by Paul Harper and The Dunkirk Soldiers
    Courtesy of Universal Studios
  • Hot Throb
    Written by Bastiaan Maris
    Performed by The LHPO by Bastiaan Maris
    Courtesy of Universal Studios
  • Miss You
    Written by Charles Tobias, Harry Tobias, Henry Tobias
    Performed by Flanagan and Allen
    Courtesy of The Decca Music Group
    Under license from Universal Music Operations Ltd

Compilation Soundtracks

Promotional / Bootleg Soundtracks

  • AtonementSampler
    Promotional Release

    Released: 2007

    Format: CD (9 min)

Review: Atonement

by Dan Goldwasser December 9, 2007
4 / 5 Stars

In Atonement, Robbie (James McAvoy) is the son of the housekeeper for the upper class Tallis family, in the Surry Hills area of England, and he has made a big mistake. After the lewd letter he jokingly wrote to daughter Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightly) is mistakenly handed over instead of the formal one he intended, young Briony (Saoirse Ronan) reads it, and is shocked at what she reads. Her impression that Robbie might be a pervert is not helped when she later catches him with Cecilia in the library study. Believing her unrequited "crush" is a deviant, she fingers him as the guilty party (knowing it wasn't really him) when her cousin is found raped in the bushes - forever changing all of their lives.

Based on the acclaimed novel by Ian McEwan, Atonement shows us how a singular event affects multiple lives. We follow Robby through his experience (after 3 years in prison) as a British soldier in occupied France during World War II at the Dunkirk evacuation, as he tries to return to Cecilia, who has been working as a nurse and waiting for him. None of them have been on speaking terms with Briony, who is also working as a nurse and trying to atone for her actions by writing a novel about what she did.

The movie is very well done, with solid pacing, great cinematography and three dimensional characters. Though their romantic encounter is brief, the connection between Cecilia and Robbie is strong enough to be believable that they would hold out for each other all those years. Similarly, the guilt that Briony feels is palpable, and young Saoirse Ronan does a good job playing the role of the 13-year old. Some people might feel that the ending is a bit of a "jolt (some would even say it's too similar to Titanic, but they'd be wrong). Directed by Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice), there is a certain airy quality about the pre-war sequences, with the lavish estates and beautiful magic-hour lighting. During the Dunkirk sequence, the typical "World War II desaturated" tone is adopted, but there's an excellent tracking shot that takes us through the evacuation site in one take, and is definitely noteworthy.

The music score by Dario Marianelli is excellent, and his use of a typewriter as a rhythmic device might seem like a nod to Michael Kamen's Brazil, but actually works as a subconscious message that the movie we're watching is actually a story being told by Briony, who is writing it as her novel. I can see this one getting an Oscar nomination. In fact, I can see Atonement getting quite a few nominations, as it's a very well done film throughout, and the story of guilt, love and attempt at redemption makes it well worth your time to see.

Trailer Music Used From

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