When it was announced that Joe Wright would adapt Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina , the literary world braced itself. Tolstoy’s 800-page masterpiece is a sprawling exploration of faith, agriculture, politics, and the slow-motion car crash of a high-society affair. How could the director of Atonement condense such a leviathan into a two-hour cinematic experience?
: Unlike more traditional adaptations, this version emphasizes the artificiality of high society anna karenina -2012
If you are looking for a straight, traditional reading of the novel, this is not your film. Watch the 1935 Greta Garbo version or the 1948 Vivien Leigh version instead. When it was announced that Joe Wright would
Casting Taylor-Johnson (known then for Kick-Ass ) as the dashing cavalry officer was controversial. He lacks the traditional "sophisticated" vibe of previous Vronskys. However, that is the point. Taylor-Johnson plays Vronsky as a beautiful, petulant boy. He is all sexual energy and no substance. Once he "conquers" Anna, he grows bored, returning to his social clubs. This Vronsky isn't a villain; he’s just shallow, which is far worse. He lacks the traditional "sophisticated" vibe of previous
Keira Knightley delivers a stunning performance as Anna Karenina, bringing depth and nuance to the complex and multifaceted character. Her portrayal of Anna's transformation from a fashionable socialite to a tragic figure, torn apart by her own desires and the constraints of society, is nothing short of breathtaking.
Upon release in November 2012 (limited), the film received a polarized response. Critics either hailed it as a genius deconstruction of Tolstoy or slammed it as a "gimmicky, soulless exercise in style over substance."
Tom Stoppard is one of the greatest living playwrights ( Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead ). While the film respects Tolstoy’s themes, Stoppard condenses the novel’s philosophical tangents into razor-sharp exchanges.