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SYNOPSIS: After
almost fifty years of marriage, the Countess Sofya (Helen
Mirren), Leo Tolstoy's (Christopher Plummer) devoted wife,
passionate lover, muse and secretary—she’s copied
out War and Peace six times...by hand!—suddenly finds
her entire world turned upside down. In the name of his newly
created religion, the great Russian novelist has renounced
his noble title, his property and even his family in favor
of poverty, vegetarianism and even celibacy. After she's born
him thirteen children!
When
Sofya then discovers that Tolstoy's trusted disciple, Chertkov
(Paul Giamatti)—whom she despises—may have secretly
convinced her husband to sign a new will, leaving the rights
to his iconic novels to the Russian people rather than his
very own family, she is consumed by righteous outrage. This
is the last straw. Using every bit of cunning, every trick
of seduction in her considerable arsenal, she fights fiercely
for what she believes is rightfully hers. The more extreme
her behavior becomes, however, the more easily Chertkov is
able to persuade Tolstoy of the damage she will do to his
glorious legacy.
Into
this minefield wanders Tolstoy's worshipful new assistant,
the young, gullible Valentin (James McAvoy). In no time, he
becomes a pawn, first of the scheming Chertkov and then of
the wounded, vengeful Sofya as each plots to undermine the
other's gains. Complicating Valentin's life even further is
the overwhelming passion he feels for the beautiful, spirited
Marsha (Kerry Condon), a free thinking adherent of Tolstoy's
new religion whose unconventional attitudes about sex and
love both compel and confuse him. Infatuated with Tolstoy's
notions of ideal love, but mystified by the Tolstoys' rich
and turbulent marriage, Valentin is ill equipped to deal with
the complications of love in the real world.
MOVIE
REVIEW:
We must confess we don’t know much about Leo Tolstoy (do you?), so we seek your pardon if certain points we raise in this review doesn’t do the Russian writer justice. After some research, we understand that the talented man has been widely regarded as the greatest of novelists, and his masterpieces often reflected a way of life during 19th century Russia. So a film like this helps to educate us urbanites about the influential essayist, dramatis and educational reformer.
Christopher Plummer (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Up) takes on the role of Tolstory in this production, with the ever wonderful Oscar Best Actress recipient Helen Mirren (The Queen) as his wife Sophia. If it’s something we can understand, the film deals with the writer’s fight to balance material reputation and his personal commitment to the Tolstoyan Movement, which denounces material wealth and physical love. He is accompanied in his last stages of life by his loyal disciple, a personal secretary and his wife, who tries very hard to get the old man’s sanity back in place.
This is clearly not everyone’s cup of tea, as the themes dealt with here may be too serious for those who prefer digestible entertainment in their movies. Director Michael Hoffman knows his audience well, considering he does not compromise any of the film’s weighty themes with frivolous choppy entertainments. Those who are in the right mood will fully appreciate the conflict and tension one has to go through when it comes to material comfort and Zen spirituality – what is a human to do these days?
Plummer plays the historical character with credence and believability, while Mirren shimmers in her role as the wife who tries very hard to understand her husband’s predicaments. The occasional seducing she puts up perks up the film’s otherwise serious mood. The two veteran actors were nominated for supporting actors at this year’s Oscars.
Elsewhere, the reliable Paul Giamatti brings with him a sense of sliminess by playing Vladmir Chertkov, Tolstoy’s trusted disciple, while the good looking James McAvoy adds some charm as Valentin Bulgakov, the idealistic personal secretary. Watch how the ensemble comes together in the finale, which takes place at a train station, to understand why this film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival last year to wonderful reviews.
There are some underwhelming moments in the 112 minute production, which may prove to be too dreary to the impatient audience, but it is important to realise the underlying spirit of the story. Based on a 1990 biographical novel, the film is a fine adaptation supported by equally fine casting.
We may never know what went on in the head of Tolstoy the man, but through the retelling of his last years, we get a sense of the bigger goal in life. Whether we will pursue it is, of course, another matter.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
Nil
AUDIO/VISUAL:
There is nothing to complain about the movie's visual transfer. It is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 English.
MOVIE RATING:
 
DVD
RATING :
Review
by John Li
Posted on 15 August 2010
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