Movie adaptation

Ian McEwan’s novel was adapted into a successful film of the same name. Atonement (2007) is directed by Joe Wright, an English film director best known for his successful book adaptations such as Pride and Prejudice (2005), Anna Karenina (2012), and Cyrano (2021). The movie stars many well-known actors such as Keira Knightly as Cecilia, James McAvoy as Robbie, Saoirse Ronan as young Briony Tallis, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Paul Marshall.

Differences between the film and the novel

The film adaptation of Atonement is overall relatively faithful to the novel. There are slight deviations, but they do not impact the plot in a significant way and do not take away from the themes or message of the novel. 

One small difference between the film and the book is that at the beginning of the film, Briony and Cecilia sunbathe on the lawn while Robbie is gardening nearby and Briony asks Cecilia why she no longer speaks with Robbie. Cecilia explains that they just move in different circles, which can be said to highlight their difference in social class right from the start of the film. Moreover, when Briony meets Robbie and Cecilia in 1940, Robbie accuses Briony of always seeing him as a servant that wasn’t to be trusted. In this way, the film addresses the theme of social class more explicitly than the novel does. 

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