“Water for Elephants” is a regurgitated tale uplifted by its beautiful set pieces and starring cast. This film feels so authentic it's easier to be more captivated and lost in the scenery than taken up by the actors in the story.
The movie begins with Jacob Jankowski (Hal Holbrook) wandering into a circus. While waiting for a ride, Jacob regales the owner of the circus with a whimsical tale of Jacob's own history with the circus. The story then shifts to a younger Jacob (Robert Pattinson) in his early 20s with his whole life in front of him. After the tragic death of his parents, Jacob hitches a ride on a local circus train and begins working as their vet. During his stint, he falls in love with star performer Marlena (Reese Witherspoon) and learns of her circus-owning husband's (Christoph Waltz) mean streak.
I was completely skeptical of “Water for Elephants,” mainly because the star of the movie is the same guy that has made millions of dollars because he sparkles in the sun. But Pattinson can actually do more than sparkle and brood. Granted, there is still some brooding in this movie, but Pattinson does a great job at bringing some depth to Jacob as an individual. Witherspoon is a breath of fresh air outside of her normal rom-com fluff and can flex those acting muscles when given the chance. She really brings out the pain of Marlena.
Despite their solid performances, the love affair between Pattinson and Witherspoon — and their age gap given the time period — feels off. Maybe cougars were thriving during that time, but my perception is that mostly older men had the younger women then, not the other way around.
Director Francis Lawrence does an amazing job orchestrating the film’s set pieces. The film feels as though it was made during the early years of film. There is one scene in particular where Jacob and Marlena are out to a club and dancing together. Everything is so authentic, from the architecture to the club patrons all the way down to the police raid on the bar due to the Prohibition laws. The circus itself also has a life of its own and completely steals the show.
While very cliché and forgettable, “Water for Elephants” is still worth viewing. Despite its awkward romance between the leads, the movie still has that classic feeling of cinema in its prime.
As for special features, the DVD release contains a spotlight on both Pattinson and Witherspoon along with a featurette, "The Traveling Show — From Page to Screen."
Film: 3.5 Yaps Extras: 2 Yaps