Tolstoy is not for the faint hearted, so any attempt to turn 'Anna Karenina' into a worthwhile, good film is going to be difficult. This, again, was a film I was not particularly fussed about but because a friend could find no one to go with her, I offered my services as I don't have to pay for it.
For those, like myself, who haven't read the book, Anna Karenina is long. Set in 19th century Russia, Anna Karenina (Keira Knightley) has her life and social standing changed when she cheats on her husband Karenin (Jude Law) with the young and charming Count Vronsky (Aaron Johnson). The two run away together and the film tracks the impacts this has on Anna, her husband, Vronsky and the various people in their lives.
To set the scene with how I feel about this film, I am not particularly a fan of Keira Knightley. The thing I find with her is that I struggle to see any character, and if I see her in a film I just see her as Keira Knightley rather than Elizabeth Swan, Cecilia Talis or, in this case, Anna Karenina. Taking this into account the film was not off to a great start. Then I began watching it. I found the film pretentious and over exaggerated in every way possible. The decision to show the story as if it were a play and have many of the scenes set in a theatre was, in parts, genius but mainly just annoying and over the top.
The story went on forever to the point where about a third of the way through I just wanted it to end, looked at the clock and realised I still had over an hour left to sit through. I realise that this is a problem with the works of Tolstoy as I have tried to read one of his novels and it is hard work and laborious sometimes, but this should not be reflected in the movie representation of this film. At times it seemed like no effort had been made to even attempt to make the storyline interesting or easier to watch, and any moment to move the story along seemed abandoned for a dragged out cinematic shot involving mirrors or dramatic silhouettes.
Continually the acting was, at best, average. Every person in this film I have seen do a much better job. The only saving grace for the film was the performances given by Matthew Macfadyen and Kelly MacDonald, who provided some light hearted humour to a very long and overly dramatic piece.
To cut a long story short, I hated it. The attempt to make this film into an epic romance went over the top to the point where everything about it felt too big and too effortful.
But at least the evening wasn't a complete waste, my friend liked it (?!).
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