Countless writers have seen their work turned into movies but very few have taken such a successful active role as McEwan.
He has written or co-written various screenplays and also produced three films involving his books.
Back in 2007 Atonement came on to my radar, an excellent movie with an impressive performance by a young Saoirse Ronan that brought her to many people’s attention.
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And here she is, years later, in another McEwan novel adaptation in the co-starring role.
This is basically a two-hander, set in the early 1960s, with Ronan alongside Billy Howle, who may not be as well known but produces a great performance and is someone to watch out for.
The two play Florence Ponting, a classically trained musician with a rich and snobbish family, and Edward Mayhew, a blues music fan whose mother has a serious illness.
Despite their different backgrounds, they fall in love and get married, but as they start their honeymoon in a hotel by Chesil Beach in Dorset it becomes all too clear that there is a major hurdle to overcome that will test their love.
The first two-thirds of the film is full of flashbacks to how they met, with an impressive array of British actors filling the family roles (Samuel West, Emily Watson, Anne-Marie Duff and Adrian Scarborough).
My only concern was the occasional attempt at humour which seemed to be added a bit clumsily in an attempt to lighten the mood.
The audience I was in was mostly women but this is certainly not a film aimed at a female audience.
The acting on its own demands a wider appeal.
If you liked Atonement all those years ago then the chances are you’ll enjoy this film as the tone and feel is similar.
Film details: On Chesil Beach (15) 110mins
Director: Dominic Cooke
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emily Watson, Samuel West
Screening courtesy of Horsham Capitol