The famous British director Joe Wright is well-known for his adaption of masterworks. For example, he produced his best-known film Pride & Prejudice in 2005. Seven years later, Joe Wright once again brought an adaption of another masterwork onto the international screen. This time, he has recomposed Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. Recomposed by the well-known scriptwriter Tom Stoppard who was rewarded the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay with his Shakespeare in Love and starred by Keira Knightley, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jude Law, the new movie Anna Karenina is the third adaption of masterpiece after his Pride & Prejudice and Atonement. This is also his third work in collaboration with Keira Knightley.
In faithful to the original story, the new story in the movie Anna Karenina happens in the 1874’s Russia. The beautiful and energetic lady called Anna Karenina has everything that all contemporary desire. His husband Alexei Karenin is a senior government official. As a result, she has an unmatched social status in St Petersburg. Because of her brother’s invitation, she decides to go to Moscow. On her way, she meets the Countess Vronsky and her son Count Vronsky – a handsome cavalry officer. At the first sight, they are attracted by each other. Later soon, Anna tries to leave Count Vronsky and go back to St Petersburg. However, Vronsky can not give her up and decides to go to St Petersburg, too. It becomes a heat topic in the whole social circle in St Petersburg. But because of his reputation and social status, Karenin is unwilling to divorce from her, which makes Anna despised and reviled by the whole polite society. At the same time, Vronsky chooses to leave her, too. And in face of the blame and betrayal, Anna suicides finally…
Maybe, it will be not the best version of the Anna Karenina, but it is undoubtedly the most powerful one. As we know, Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy’s stories are not just a story reflecting the family, but also the whole Russian society. It would be a big challenge to Joe Wright. Anyway, he has once again brought a great movie by focusing for the family. Given several nominations in the 85th Academy Awards, this new movie is a nice epic story, just like the original novel. If you love the epic story or Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy’s works, just take the plunge.