Atonement (an oldie I know)

[Soubriquet]

So today I managed to watch atonement for the first time. It’s on Netflix. I’ve seen so many people hate Bryony, but am I missing something? She was a child who clearly didn’t understand what she saw.

I thought the same when I saw it. Maybe it comes across differently and she seems more culpable in the book?

Overrated shite!

I must admit it wasn’t as good as the reviews I have read

She comes across as very unlikable overall and not a sweet innocent child. I believe it’s played that way on purpose so you’ll have mixed feelings about what she did. Problem is it also has the undesirable effect of making the movie as a whole rather unlikeable. I didn’t particularly enjoy it either,
and had no sympathy for her at all.

You should have read the book first - I distinctly remember where I was when I read the twist, it’s the one of the greatest novels of our time IMO and a brilliant example of an unreliable narrator. Amazing stuff. They didn’t hit the mark the same in the film. I think she has longer to ‘atone’ in the book so you have more sympathy for the position she put everyone in.

She knew damn well what she was doing. She wanted to impress Lola.
She remains delusional about it her whole life. She's a self-involved spoilt brat. And damn right I hate Briony (classist snob that she is!).
That said, students always write really well on it and I love to hate the book (and adore Keira Knightley's dress in the film even though I usually hate Keira Knightley in things!).

I have to laugh at someone calling a 2007 film an "oldie."

😆

Me too but she was perfect in this!

The book goes through the main characters' thoughts in great detail. I was surprised that someone could read it and think to make a film of it.

Ian McEwan said he told his publisher it was about a writer writing about being a writer and would sell about 500 copies, if I recall correctly. The publisher said it had a tragic love affair, a grand house* and WWII, so it would be a hit.

*(not a stately home, because in the book it isn't)

I just thought she had a crush on Robbie TBH and got confused and jealous.

Love this film. James McAvoy in his sexy era!

Really hated the book as she was such an unlikeable main character. Definitely thought she was jealous and knew what she was doing at the time.

I read the book in the summer and loved it. Especially the section all about Robbie's experiences at war. I'd watched the film when it first came out and rewatched it after reading the book.

I agree with the other poster who said Keira Knightly was perfect in the film (although, I'm not usually a fan at all) and we are not meant to warm to Briony. She seems self obsessed and that never seems to change even as an adult.

This thread has reminded me to start reading Birdsong!

i love this book and i loved the film, but i agree with others here - in the book you get much more of a sense that she knows she is "writing" the story and she knows she didn't see Robbie even as she is saying it.

The book also shows much more clearly the class divide that allows everyone to believe that Robbie is guilty because of his background.

James McAvoy has also never been more beautiful....