Credit: Netflix

You have definitely seen that clip from Atonement again! The one where Cecilia (Keira Knightley) steps out of the water and realises Robbie (James McAvoy) is standing there. She doesn’t react the way you expect: completely calm. She just looks at him, gets dressed, and walks past, while he is left standing there, clearly unsure of what just happened or how he is meant to respond to it.

And if you think about it, that one moment tells you everything about them. He is careful. All he is trying to do is to stay within lines that don’t really exist, while she just… doesn’t adjust herself at all. And then comes the moment that will define yearning for years when he touches the water with his shivering palms. The same water Cecilia took a swim in!

Atonement came out in 2007, directed by Joe Wright, and is built around one truly dreadful misunderstanding. It takes you to the 1930s in England, in a gorgeous countryside house where everything feels beautiful yet restrained.

Then you’ve got Briony Tallis, who is clever but far too imaginative for her own good, watching her older sister Cecilia and Robbie Turner interact in ways she simply doesn’t understand.

And Briony gets it completely wrong just by a look. Spectacularly wrong. One accusation, made with far too much confidence, and suddenly Robbie’s life is ruined. Cecilia cuts herself off from her family, and everything just… unknots. It’s so painful to watch because, as a viewer, you can see it coming, and yet you are powerless to stop it.

Robbie is sent to war, and you follow him through France toward Dunkirk. Robbie’s trudging through the madness of World War II, while Cecilia’s working as a nurse in London. One good thing here is that the two of them are just holding onto this fragile hope that they will find each other again. It makes you go back to the time when longing used to be a respectable thing in a society that runs on “breadcrumbing” today.

Now, let’s talk about Keira Knightley, because she is astonishing in this. We all saw her in a similar role in Pride and Prejudice before, and she was indubitably the perfect person for this role. In fact, this might genuinely be her most affecting performance. She plays Cecilia with this sort of bottled-up emotion. Those tiny expressions of hers, which carry oceans of emotions in them, are just what Cecelia’s character needed. For instance, the looks she gives Robbie. You completely believe she’d wait for him. There is no question about it.

And can we please, please talk about her chemistry with McAvoy? Oh, it’s ridiculously good. Like properly electric, but in that very understated way. Another famous scene from Atonement: the one in the library isn’t just about passion. If you thought so too, this is exactly why you should revisit it because it’s not just about that; it’s all tension and years of unspoken feelings finally spilling over. Doesn’t it feel almost intrusive to watch, like you shouldn’t be there?

Another one of the most talked-about things from the film is that green dress. The one Cecilia wears? Completely iconic. It was designed by Jacqueline Durran, and it’s still a crucial topic of discussion when the name Atonement comes up.

The reason why this film was such a big hit was because of its storytelling. Briony grows up to be a writer, and you are left wondering whether a story (no matter how beautifully she tells it) can ever truly make up for what she did. It clearly doesn’t give you the answers you need.

And that ending… we won’t spoil it outright, but be prepared with a box of tissues to wipe those tears because it might destroy you. So, if you are in the mood for something a bit devastating but absolutely stunning, Atonement is always worth revisiting. Just maybe don’t expect to feel emotionally/mentally stable afterwards.