Water for Elephants (2011)

What makes it different from others?

Perfectly adorable

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

I liked some aspects of this film. 1. The character of August was somewhat well-acted (although his actions are not always consistent - how he rationalizes how he suddenly starts to like Jacob or how he gives him free passes didn't seem believable or coherent with his type of character) 2. Some quotes, such as the ones about illusion 3. Was entertaining. 4. Some moments of heartwarming feeling of closeness/family within the circus.However, there was a lot more I didn't like. 1. The movie glamorizes the circus and the connection between the performers and the animals when in fact there's much more cruelty and sadness than is shown in this film. 2. Reese Witherspoon's acting was just terrible. Her voice, emotions, movements... everything about her was uninspiring. For instance, the way she said "darling" to August made me feel like she was reading off a script, and her facial expressions rarely changed in a significant or moving way. 3. Jacob didn't seem to have much personality. 4. Very childish and unbelievable in this film how Jacob and Marlena are willing to fight August and risk everything for their favorite/star animals, yet don't do anything at all when it comes to all the other animals or even the humans that are being mistreated even worse! Short-sighted actions and a sense that they are selective in their courageousness. 5. Scenes that were not believable, like when August makes Jacob/Marlena hug/touch each other in front of him... they both start to do it without August even threatening them except for speaking in an agitated tone! 6. Little to no chemistry between Marlena/Jacob. The only thing they have in common is pity for certain animals and are both typically attractive. 7. Framing of the story was too much like the Titanic. Also, the young man was weirdly curious/smiling the ENTIRE time, which also was not believable.

First, I should note that I've never read the novel on which Francis Lawrence's "Water for Elephants" is based. I had never heard of it until the movie got released. Now that I've seen it, I'm impressed. I interpreted it as a look at how a person tries to find his place after his initial goal fails, but also gets forced to do the right thing in desperate situations. Although Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson are the main characters, Christoph Waltz is the one who sticks out in my mind. His August is one vile person, the type who would draw the ire of any animal welfare organization. But I suspect that these things happen a lot in circuses. Barnum and Bailey recently closed after 146 years in business. Probably best, knowing how animals get treated; after all, they aren't meant to be our entertainment.It's not a masterpiece, but still a good look at how the characters seek to find a healthy relationship in a cruel setting. I'd like to read the book.

The idea of the film and how it was made is fantastic. All the scenes look real and they are full of excitement. The actors are playing their roles absolutely amazing.The main characters fit really well with each other. Even though in the movie the place that everything happens is the circus, people can feel that the story is so real and can happen to everyone in its own way.No matter if it is a bad character or a good one everyone is doing a great job. The movie shows a lot of things we can find in our own lives or realize that are missing in it. It shows the cruelness and that people are the real savages, not animals. It represents the true meaning of love and that you should never stop fighting for it, no matter how hard it is, because its beautiful.

I thought that this was going to be a film about a circus. I like films that actually show circus and circus life. Instead I got a soppy adulterous "romance" and a sadistic husband and cruelty to animals. If you enjoy any of these... go for it. For me ... give me what is now thought of as corny "The Greatest Show on Earth" or even "Trapeze". The non-English Speaking elephant was one of the most interesting characters .. the actors tried but they were not appealing at all. It's not that the actors gave poor performances, it was that the characters were just not for me. Will not watch this one again and I am a big re-viewer !