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Water for Elephants
2011 122 min United States of America PG-13 18+
★6.8
Drama, Romance
Director: Francis Lawrence
🎭 Based on
«Water for Elephants»
bySara Gruen
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
In this captivating Depression-era melodrama, impetuous veterinary student Jacob Jankowski joins a celebrated circus as an animal caretaker but faces a wrenching dilemma when he's transfixed by angelic married performer Marlena.
Budget:
$38M
US Gross:
$58.71M
Worldwide:
$117.09M
Starring
Robert Pattinson
Actor
Reese Witherspoon
Actor
Christoph Waltz
Actor
Awards
Georges Awards 2012
— Best Foreign Drama
Key opinion
Water for Elephants is generally regarded as a visually enchanting and tender period drama that successfully captures a fairy-tale atmosphere within a harsh Great Depression setting. While opinions on the lead performances are polarized, there is a strong consensus regarding the film's aesthetic beauty and the standout, commanding performance of Christoph Waltz.
| Acting | Christoph Waltz delivers a magnetic and nuanced performance as the circus ringmaster, widely considered the film's greatest asset. | |
| Production | The production design and cinematography effectively create a vivid, immersive, and visually stunning 1930s circus aesthetic. | |
| Theme | The film succeeds in balancing its fairy-tale romantic tone with darker, more realistic depictions of circus life and animal cruelty. | |
| Acting | The central chemistry between Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon divides audiences, with some finding it convincing and tender, while others view it as flat or lacking sufficient emotional spark. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay receives conflicting assessments, with some praising the simple, cohesive narrative and others criticizing it for being underdeveloped compared to the original novel. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing is viewed by some as a gentle, pleasant slow-burn, whereas others find it to be aimless and lacking a strong dramatic climax. |