Alright, so people might be wondering what’s there so much in this particular film to get a 5 star rating.Well, there’s practically everything a good movie should have!
The plot is based on a novel of the same title by Ian McEwan.
Young Briony Tallis(Saoirse Ronan) is excellent at playright.Her script for a stage play is so well complimented that she plans to stage it as a gift for her elder brother, Leon(Patrick Kennedy).Her actors include her cousins-a pair of twins & their elder sister, Lola(Juno Temple).Briony like any other teenage girl also has a crush...................on a man, Robbie Turner(James McAvoy) who’s college tuition fees is being payed by her father.In return, Robbie helps the family with housekeeping.But to Briony’s dismay sparks are evidently flying between Robbie & her own sister, Cecilia Tallis(Keira Knightley).The two star-crossed lovers know that due to their status differences they may not end up together in life, but they plan to make the most of what they have no, which later leads to the basic plot of the movie.Leon brings with him his friend, Paul Marshall(Beneidct Cumberbatch) who owns a chocolate factory.Paul doesn’t seem to bother that he’s visibly flirting with Briony’s cousin, Lola who’s no more than 15 years old.Briony doesn’t notice that Lola is evidently battering her eyelashes & flirting back, since there’s something else occupying Briony’s mind.She happens to see several sexual motives between Cecilia & Robbie.The icing on the cake is when she catches Cecilia & Robbie on a lovemaking session.More than being appalled, circumstances make Briony think that Robbie might be a sex addict & that he’s assaulting her sister.At the Tallis’s dinner party, suddenly Lola disappears & is raped.Briony is very quick to identify the man who might’ve commited the crime.Lola is more than happy to claim that Robbie has raped her.Poor Briony doesn’t think even for a while that her announcement might be wrong & that she might forever destroy the possibility of two souls ever ending up happily ever after.What follows next is not only a love story, but also one of seeking forgiveness & repenting on one’s own actions.
I haven’t read the book, so I can’t comment on how true the plot is to the novel.The screenplay is just out of this world.The subject is about a child’s imagination of sex in a seemingly olden era, which has been handled subtly with a lot of precision.It takes a lot to make this sort of plot come across well with a 20th century audience.Saoirse who plays the young Briony is fiery & makes Briony’s said annoyance come well on screen.James & Kiera share a good on-screen chemistry.The supporting actors are also well chosen.The whole cast combined provide a very memorable viewing experience.It’s evident that even if a single member of the cast doesn’t act well, it can ruin the whole movie.The background music is unique, especially the using of a typewriter to create situational music depending on Briony’s mood.The scenic beauty of an old picturesque England is captured well.All in all, one can see that every cast & crew member has given their 100% to this movie, which is why this film is perfect.