You can only imagine the truth.

Starring: James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Vanessa Redgrave, Brenda Blethyn, Juno Temple, Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Kennedy, Harriet Walter, Peter Wight

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I decided not to take up my place at Cambridge. I decided I wanted to make myself useful, do something practical. But no matter how hard I work, no matter how long the hours, I can't escape from what I did and what it meant, the full extent of which I'm only now beginning to grasp." – Briony, age 18

Why watch this? It's so beautifully constructed, scored and shot... a real classic love tragedy.

Plot Summary: Thirteen-year-old aspiring writer Briony Tallis irrevocably alters the course of several lives when she misinterprets an intimate moment between her older sister Cecilia and their housekeeper's son, Robbie, leading to a devastating false accusation. As World War II breaks out, Robbie is sent to fight in France while a separated Cecilia waits for him, both enduring profound hardship caused by the lie.
 

Dad's Preview: This sprawling, often epic, romance film felt immediately like it was lifted from the pages of the Ian McEwan novel that it's based upon. It covers three time periods, showing the devastating effects of one half-innocent action, taken simply out of jealousy. Young Briony single-handedly ruined the lives of her sister and the man she loved. I particularly admired the brilliant ways in which scenes were replayed from different perspectives. This film's unique structure, and how its narrative is slowly revealed, really sets it apart from most run-of-the-mill period romances. Our leading lovers are pleasantly portrayed by McAvoy and Nightley, however it is Saoirse Ronan, as the love-sick novice playwright, who captivates every scene. She deserved her nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Relativity Media, Studio Canal, Working Title Films; Focus Features