I had to watch this film for the class The language of Filmmaking. I must admit that is a fantastic movie. Everything is well done in this feature film directed by Joe Wright. Furthermore there is an astonish long take that worth watch it again and again (last picture). All the elements of mise-en-scene (art, actor movements and positions, costumes, scenography, camera), decoupage (editing decisions) and sound are well thought out. It is formidable how a film can be so well made!
Shooting, sound and editing techniques affects the film's narrative and help shape the film's themes ad motifs.
If you wish to learn more about filmmaking from the point of view of Editing, you should watch "Atonement" because this movie was completely thought from the point of the editing. It's only editing!
Motifs: A recurring subject, theme, idea, etc especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work
In "Atonement" the motifs are the typewriting machine sound that conveys the point of view of the main character "Briony". And also the water is used as a motif, we can watch water through the whole film, which it is connected with death. It's interesting how the director used in some scenes non-diegetic sound but later connects it with characters or chorus and transform it into a diegetic sound (as in fabulous example of the long take in Dunkirk beach).
Si deseas aprender más de filmmaking deberías ver esta película, pues está maestralmente diseñada desde el punto de vista de la edición, que es como toda película debe ser pensada. Una obra artística que vale la pena observar! :)