Water for Elephants (2011 movie)

Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Released: 2011
Country: United States

Genre: Romantic, drama

Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz 

Rating: 3 out of 5

Review

I was thinking about a good romantic movie to watch. Then I thought about Water for Elephants. I have had the DVD of this film for quite a long time, but couldn't watch it. So, I thought about this film, starring one of my most favorite actresses, Reese Witherspoon.

The film is told in a flashback: an old man tells about his involvement in the circus during the 1930s to the proprietor of a traveling circus. Robert Pattinson, whom we had earlier seen in Harry Potter and Twilight films, is quite excellent in this film. He plays Jacob, the male protagonist. Indeed! His performance as the charming, handsome, and intelligent Jacob is quite mentionable. Anyways, let's return to the topic. So, Jacob, who is of the Polish origin, is to give his final exam, but as he is giving his exam, he is interrupted and told that parents are dead in a car accident. Since his father had debts, Jacob loses the home, and does not go back to school, and, wandering, jumps onto a train. The train is actually that of the circus Benzini Brothers. Hearing that he is a veterinary surgeon, the circus owner, August (played by Christoph Waltz) employs him. Then we see Marlena (earlier there were two short scenes the circus with Marlena with her horse, but let's not go into details). Marlena is August's pretty wife, star of the circus, and when, because her horse is very ill, Jacob puts the horse down, an elephant named Rosie replaces the horse. Slowly, the relationship between Marlena and Jacob deepens, they fall in love, and Jacob understands that all he had understood was wrong: Marlena and August have a really troubled relationship,  Marlena is almost controlled by August, and that Marlena deserves a much better life...

Reese Witherspoon played the beautiful Marlena. Earlier, we had seen her playing memorable characters like Elle Woods, Melanie Carmichael, Becky Sharp, Elizabeth Masterson, and (though I haven't seen Walk the Line yet) June Carter Cash, among other characters, and similarly, in this film, Witherspoon plays the role of the beautiful, intelligent, neverthless controlled woman Marlena. Her performance was really awesome: it deserves praises, indeed. Her performance makes us realize the condition of Marlena, and I started feeling really sad for Marlena.

And now, coming to the topic of Christoph Waltz: he is truly excellent in the role of the antagonist. And I, though first taking a bit of liking in the character because he treated Jacob sympathetically,  started hating the character of August. I mean, August is really a bad person: cruel to both humans and animals. The scene where he beats Rosie (though we are not shown anything much directly) made me shocked and sad. The performances by them, and of course, all of the supporting cast, made the story more believable.

And of course, the production design is highly notable: the circus scenes were very notable.

Most of the film is told in flashback, in the 1930s, during the time of the Great Depression. And, though I will not be revealing anything, I must say that the ending is a bit intense and violent.

The film is highly recommended: it was worth watching. I found it highly entertaining. Not a single moment was boring. It was really good! Though neither an excellent nor a masterpiece movie, this movie is worth watching.

3 out of 5.