Movie Review {1} Anna Karenina

Release Date (US): November 16^th 2012

Directed By: Joe Wright | Also Directed: Pride & Prejudice & Atonement

Produced By: Focus Features

Cast: Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina | Jude Law as Aleksei Karenin | Aaron Johnson as Count Vronsky | Matthew MacFadyen as Oblonsky | Alicia Vikander as Kitty | Domhnall Gleeson as Levin

Summary: The story powerfully explores the capacity for love that surges through the human heart. As Anna questions her happiness and marriage, change comes to all around her.

Rating: R

Categories: Drama, Romance

Run Time: 2h 10m

Check Out on Rotten Tomatoes

My Thoughts: So I went into the theater expecting a movie similar to other historical dramas that Knightley has starred in. That’s not what I got, though. At first, when the movie started out – I was confused. Like, ‘what the…(insert nifty, creative expletive here)’ confused.

So the movie is played out like a play would be. This really does nothing to help explain it, and I’m sorry – but it’s so hard to explain! Basically, the movie opens up to a stage where there are a couple of characters. Eventually the stage fades away, but randomly appeared again throughout. And instead of scenes outside on sidewalks and streets – the characters would walk along the stage planks and back stage type areas that would typically be in an auditorium/playhouse. And if a scene ended with a character opening a door, the next scene began with that ending but the door was opening and the character was coming into the next scene. Yes, it is really hard to put into words!

Character-wise, I ADORED Jude Law! I mean, if I could’ve crawled into the movie, kidnapped him, and brought him home with me – yeah, I so would have! He absolutely rocked his role, and I’ve always liked him in his past films, but there was just something about this role that just made me swoon. Keira did a fabulous job, as always – wouldn’t expect any less from her! And the actor that played her lover did great too. At first I didn’t think they had chemistry, but then when things started getting steamy – there was definite chemistry! The side story between Levin & Kitty was eh. It was sweet and just okay. A nice interlude from the main story.

Would I recommend this movie? I think to the right person, yes. Someone who is into very abstract, unorthodox movies would enjoy it. And from the two chapters of the book that I read, it appears Wright did justice to Tolstoy’s esteemed work.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 61% = 3.05 Stars

My Rating: 3 Stars

Happy Reading (& Movie Watching!)