The film opens in England, the summer 1935, to the sound of a typewriter rhythmically beating at a country retreat. A bright, observant, young girl Briony Tallis (newcomer Saoirse Roman) reveals a penchant for writing and a vivid imagination. She is an impressionable young thing, who likes to be the life and soul of her young friends, and for entertainment, she likes to stage plays, even though others her own age are not so wildly excited about her projects as she is.

The focus of much of her attention is the growing romantic liaison between her cool and well-educated sister Cecilia Tallis (Pirate of the Caribbean's Keira Knightley) and her young childhood friend Robbie (James McAvoy of 'The King of Scotland' fame), the son of the housekeeper (played by Brenda Blethyn). Robbie may not come from quite the same breeding as Cecilia, but he has also graduated from Oxbridge.

We soon learn that 13 year old Briony develops a crush herself on her sister's friend but the older Robbie only has eyes for Cecilia. When Briony observes through a window, her sister dipping into a fountain and emerging wet-through in front of Robbie, she can only perceive that something illicit is taking place. We see things through Briony's eyes and later through Cecilia's and the two impressions are quite different.

Briony will later perceive that Robbie has transgressed badly and all hell will be let loose when she tells her elders, a crime has been committed. The perception in this case is everything.

Robbie is packed off to prison and from there, to war as a conscript soldier. Cecilia who initially seems slightly unsympathetic as a character becomes more likeable during the war sequences since she finds a decent vocation as a nurse. The point is will the two of them for whom there is a great romantic chemistry meet again to revive their love? The romance forms one plot strand and another allows you to follow Briony (played by Saoirse Ronan aged 13, Romala Garai at 18 and in later life by Vanessa Redgrave).

Atonement is well staged, the cinematography first-rate and the photography from Seamus McGarvey a big plus. I also enjoyed the performances, particularly James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan and Romola Garai.

The story is both enthralling and challenging and the film sticks fairly faithfully to the novel. The war scenes, particularly involving the wide expanse of beach and plenty of extras at the evacuation of Dunkirk, are also well staged and authentic.

Director and cast seem to be trying to re-create the kind of passion that ignited a film like The English Patient and Atonement carries with it similar blockbuster status and thematic parallels. There's natural talk of this being nominated for a heap of Oscars and much of that would be fairly well justified.

This is a decent piece of work that neatly combines truth and fiction, even though you might not be totally drawn in emotionally, feeling this is a tough novel to bring to the screen.