Ian McEwan's once best-selling book, The Atonement, is now a film. This film stars top-notch actors, including Kiera Knightly and James McAvoy. The brilliant director Joe Wright, together with the screenwriter Christopher Hampton, transform the bestseller into an award-winning film. Although adapted for the big screen, the film still contains important literary elements such as: theme, symbolism, conflict and setting. One of the main themes of the film is that things are not always as they appear. The main character Briony in many cases misinterprets what she has witnessed and these misunderstandings ruin the lives of the people she cares about most. The first misunderstanding took place in his backyard where he finds his eldest, his sister, played by Kiera Knightley, undressing and jumping into a fountain in front of his gardener, Robbie, played by James McAvoy. Briony's vivid imagination allows her to believe that Robbie and Cecilia were having a lovers' quarrel. When in reality, Robby just broke the most expensive piece of china they owed and Cecilia jumped into the fountain to retrieve the broken piece. This is exacerbated when Briony later intercepts an erotic letter written by Robbie, intended only for Cecilia's eyes. This letter and the fact that he caught Robby and his sister having sex in the library make Robbie look like a "sex maniac". So later, when her cousin Lola Quincy is raped, she automatically assumes it's the sex-crazed gardener. This leads to the other major issue of discrimination between social classes. Although Robbie was treated exceptionally well and well behaved, neither he nor family members could ever completely forget that he is the "gardener", and that all he ever...... middle of paper.... .. a low class man is invited to a dinner with a first class society. I disagree with both of these reviews. I thought the story was brilliantly written and the cinematography was beautiful. This movie touched me and made me cry, which I believe is hard to do. I agree with the New York Times and the New Yorker on this one it dragged out a bit and Kiera Knightly's acting was overrated. Other than that, I would highly recommend this movie. Work Cited Lane, Anthony "CONFLICTING STORIES" 83.39 (December 10, 2007): 116-117 Search Premier.]WCC Library, Valhalla, New York, April 17, 2008. Scott, AO "Lies, guilt, stiff upper lips. ( Movies, Performing Arts / Weekend Desk) (REVIEW OF THE FILM 'EXPIATION')." The New York Times 157.54151 (7 December 2007): E1 (L). Storm. Westchester Community College. April 21st. 2008.