Water for Elephants

Set in 1931, Water for Elephants tells the story of Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattinson), a soon-to-be vet whose life is turned upside down just before he qualifies when his parents are killed. With his home gone and no family left, he starts to walk towards the big city, but a spontaneous decision leads him to jump on a train. It turns out to be a circus train, and there he comes to the attention of the charismatic but violent ringmaster August (Christoph Waltz), who makes Jacob the circus’s vet. When they find themselves in need of a new star act, August persuades Jacob to train his latest acquisition - Rosie, an elephant. But Jacob’s new life is threatened by August’s volatility – and his developing connection with August’s beautiful young wife, Marlena (Reese Witherspoon).

Let’s get one thing straight – Water for Elephants is a terrible film title. It doesn’t sell this film well, and is likely to put off its target audience rather than draw them in. And that would be a real shame, as they’d be missing out on an entertaining and moving two hours of cinema. There’s nothing new or startling about this film, but the fact that’s its fairly old-fashioned is a large part of its appeal. It’s well acted, beautiful to look at, thoughtfully played out and downright charming.

The circus train setting is well-used, offering the viewer a real visual treat. One particularly impressive tracking shot follows Jacob as he walks through the train, past all the animals and various performers. Shortly after, he finds himself on the top of the train with August as it speeds through the countryside at night. Both sequences add stunning scale to the look of the film, but it’s impressive in the details, too. The circus sets and performer outfits are divine, but the real praise must be given to whoever chose Reese Witherspoon’s costumes. Her jewellery is to die for (I spent much of the film starring at this one particular pearly ring with the greenest eyes you could ever see) and Marlena has a seemingly never-ending supply of chic day outfits, divine headscarves and gorgeous evening dresses.

But to sell this film on the basis of its appearance alone would be to do it a massive disservice. If the plot is a bit predictable, the writing and performances certainly make up for it. Robert Pattinson displays a surprisingly deft flair for comedy when required, but he can also brood with the best of them. And Reese Witherspoon fits right into the period setting, easily showing both Marlena’s charm and her underlying vulnerability.

The film’s two ace cards, however, are the elephant and Christoph Waltz. The former may not seem like a particularly cinematic animal, but it works surprisingly well, and before long, Rosie becomes an important element of the story beyond just moving the plot along. And the presence of Waltz stops the film from falling into sentimentality. He has more than enough charisma to sell the attraction of the character, while also showing the danger that constantly lurks beneath the surface of his charm; without him, this would be a much poorer film.

Water for Elephants is a pleasingly old-fashioned love story, which easily carries you through its 120 minute running time thanks to beautiful visuals, three strong central performances and the presence of an elephant. A well-made, likeable romantic drama is hard enough to come by these days, so if that’s your thing, this is not one to be missed.

Add Comment

You must log in to submit a comment.