Two fiction bestsellers have made their way to the big screen. Atonement and The Kite Runner are currently featured in movie theaters and have arguably remained true to the books. Interestingly, both movies share the same deep sense of emotion (even though they differ significantly in plot) with underlying themes of childhood betrayal and redemption as an adult. A.O. Scott’s New York Times review captures the crux of both movies accurately with this description: “fundamentally about guilt and the attempt to overcome it, and about the tricky, tragically imperfect power of art to compensate for real-life crimes and misdemeanors.”

Atonement, based on the novel by Ian McEwan, is a British romance about how a 13-year-old, irreversibly changes the course of many people’s lives when she accuses her older sister’s lover of a crime he did not commit. Following this act, the girl continues to seek forgiveness for her childhood wrongdoing over several dramatic decades, eventually leading to personal transformation.

The Kite Runner, based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini, tells the story of an Afghan refugee who witnesses a horrible incident as a child, betrays his friend, and walks away. Throughout his life, he’s plagued with regret, which leads to his “epic quest for redemption.”

Of course, the challenge has always been whether or not the films can live up to their original sources. You be the judge…do they? We certainly welcome your comments!

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