Review of Anna Karenina (2012) by Rebecca L — 25 Jan 2013

While it contains several admirable attributes, ANNA KARENINA is, for me, ultimately something of an ambitious misfire. On a pure design level, it's a sumptuous work, with some of the best art direction I've seen in recent years.

The acting is, for the most part, very good (even though, in all honesty, I believe some of the exceptional actors are rather wasted in what amount to bit parts), and it is - strangely enough - Jude Law's performance which stands tallest above the rest; he brings a nuance and restrained emotion to the proceedings that I found to be quite affecting.

Where the movie falls apart is in director Joe Wright's gutsy, borderline-experimental decision to embrace artifice as a stylistic choice. The result of this ultra-theatricality is that it creates a distancing effect, and whatever subtextual or thematic value it was meant to underline is overridden by the constant reminders that what we are seeing is patently unreal.

I respect the notion behind this choice, and applaud Wright for going for it, but it does not work; of course, personal mileage may vary. Even with that quite large (huge!) caveat, I think the movie is still worth a look, if for no other reason than it's a certifiable visual feast, and you'll not see many films quite like it.