(2007)
4
Derek Armstrong
Joe Wright's Atonement is impressive for what it isn't as much as for what it is. For starters, it's not a straightforward period piece, though the presence of James McAvoy and Keira Knightley (alongside her Pride & Prejudice director) might suggest otherwise. Neither is it the least bit slow, with Wright's cinematic choices invigorating the narrative at every turn. It should be no surprise, then, that Atonement's marriage of lofty war-time subject matter and eye-opening technique earned it seven Oscar nominations. Viewers will find their eyes opened plenty wide -- even before noticing any technique -- by Atonement's raw sexuality, which immediately removes it from the tea-and-crumpet politeness of your average costume drama. McAvoy's Robbie has several smoldering encounters with Knightley's Cecelia, one involving a letter so lurid, it's downright smut. Crucially, these episodes are misinterpreted -- perhaps willfully -- by Cecilia's sister Briony (the Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan). Wright orchestrates these passages so they appear to be merely the whimsical misunderstandings of any good farce. But as the levity peels away toward sinister motivations and irrevocable repercussions, Atonement slouches into the scourges of war, leaving those parlors behind forever. Wright accomplishes all this through a memorable bag of tricks, including a repeating narrative structure that shows events interpreted from several perspectives; an indelible Oscar-winning score by Dario Marianelli, which utilizes typewriter keystrokes as percussion instruments; and one of the most ambitious uninterrupted shots ever recorded on film (by DP Seamus Mcgarvey). Perhaps second only to Children of Men's famous tracking shot in terms of modern achievement, this five-and-a-half-minute continuous take is a truly jaw-dropping sequence along the beach at Dunkirk, starting with the execution of several horses, then looping through all manner of minutely choreographed chaos without missing a beat. If there's any complaint here, it's that some viewers may feel shaken by the film's abrupt compartmentalization of its chronology, most notably during the final ten minutes, which have a somewhat spell-breaking effect. But most viewers should find themselves utterly enveloped by a movie far different than they may have prejudged.
awards for Atonement on AllMovie
Atonement (2007)
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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Nominated |
Best Adapted Screenplay
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Art Direction
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Cinematography
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2007 |
|
Nominated |
Best Costume Design
|
2007 |
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Won |
Best Original Score
|
2007 |
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Supporting Actress
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2007 |
American Society of Cinematographers
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Nominated |
Best Cinematography
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2007 |
Art Directors Guild
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Nominated |
Best Art Direction in a Period Film
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2007 |
Austin Film Critics
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Nominated |
Best Picture
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2007 |
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
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Nominated |
Best Actor
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Actress
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Adapted Screenplay
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2007 |
|
Nominated |
Best British Film
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Cinematography
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Costume Design
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Director
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Editing
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Makeup and Hair
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Music
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Picture
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Production Design
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Sound
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Supporting Actress
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2007 |
Broadcast Film Critics Association
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Nominated |
Best Composer
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Director
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Picture
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2007 |
|
Nominated |
Best Supporting Actress
|
2007 |
|
Nominated |
Best Young Actress
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2007 |
Chicago Film Critics Association
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Nominated |
Best Adapted Screenplay
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Cinematography
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Original Score
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2007 |
Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Association
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Nominated |
Best Picture
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2007 |
Golden Satellite Award
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Nominated |
Best Adapted Screenplay
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Supporting Actress
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2007 |
Hollywood Foreign Press Association
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Nominated |
Best Director
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2007 |
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Won |
Best Original Score
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
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2007 |
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Won |
Best Picture - Drama
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2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Screenplay
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2007 |
Las Vegas Film Critics Association
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Won |
Youth in Film Award - Female
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2007 |
National Board of Review
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Nominated |
Best Picture
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2007 |
New York Film Critics Online
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Nominated |
Best Picture
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2007 |
Ohio Film Critics
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Nominated |
Best Score
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2007 |
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle
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Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2007 |
Phoenix Film Critics Association
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Won |
Best Cinematography
|
2007 |
|
Won |
Best Original Score
|
2007 |
|
Won |
Best Young Actress
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2007 |
San Diego Film Critics Association
Southeastern Film Critics Association
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Nominated |
Best Adapted Screenplay
|
2007 |
|
Nominated |
Best Director
|
2007 |
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Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2007 |
Toronto International Film Festival
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Presented |
Film Presented
|
2007 |
Vancouver International Film Festival
|
Presented |
Film Presented
|
2007 |
Venice International Film Festival
|
Nominated |
In Competition
|
2007 |
