Review of The Last Station (2009) by Clayton W — 27 Feb 2010

An excellent look at Tolstoy's last days, The Last Station thrives on a lovely score, meticulous art directions and costumes, good cinematography, and an impressive ensemble. While Helen Mirren has been getting the bulk of the attention (not undeservedly, mind you), she is outshone by her male costars. Christopher Plummer is simply wonderful as Tolstoy. He presents a man who is happy, sweet, and, more or less, a walking contradiction to the burgeoning Tolstoyism system of thought. Apparently carefree, Plummer also grasps the depths of the character, showing the conflict he feels between devotion to his wife and the public. It's tragic that, even in his last days, he was pulled in so many directions, and rarely given the chance to really be heard himself.

James McAvoy adds another great role to his resume; his performance ranks among his work in Atonement and The Last King of Scotland. Paul Giamatti gives one of the best performances of his career as the ceaselessly frustrating Chertkov; he plays him to sleazy perfection.

The subject matter may not be interesting to everyone from a historical perspective, but the humanity of the story deserves to be seen my all movie-goers. The talented cast brings a legendary writer to life, and the film serves as a fitting tribute to his legacy.