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Amazon.co.uk Review
A film boasting a stellar cast, The Last Station is the story of the last year of life of Leo Tolstoy. Played here by Christopher Plummer, the film doesn’t tell you a great deal about the man himself, but it does nonetheless deliver some terrific, grown-up drama, as the arguments and battles surrounding the latter decisions in his life surface.
And that means that there’s room in The Last Station for one of the best ensemble casts of recent times. It was Helen Mirren who picked up a Best Actress Academy Award nomination here in her role as Sofya, but truthfully, Oscar’s gaze could have gone in lots of directions. Paul Giamatti puts in wonderfully understated work once more, for instance, and James McAvoy adds another fine turn to his increasingly interesting career. Fortunately, Oscar saw sense and did reward Christopher Plummer with a Best Supporting Actor nod for his outstanding portrayal of Tolstoy, too.
Perhaps it should have spared some light for director Michael Hoffman, too. He takes difficult subject matter here, and shapes it into a compelling, enriched drama with plenty to enjoy. Not for nothing did The Last Station creep gingerly towards the top of some people’s best films of 2009 list.
Almost inevitably, cinema audiences gave The Last Station a miss. But if you’re in the hunt for a strong period drama that’s ripe for DVD discovery, then do consider giving it a spin. --Jon Foster
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
55 of 58 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
If you've read War and Peace and Anna Karenina or any other works by Tolstoy, the idea of a film about the great Russian author's fascinating latter years as he disavowed his earlier writings for deep religious principles and social reform is an intriguing prospect, but I'm sure there can't be too many others similarly thrilled by the notion.
It is a strange subject to make a film around, there's no denying that, and indeed The Last Station - based around the struggle over the publishing rights of his entire works between Tolstoy's favourite disciple Chertkov (who wants them to be given freely to the people) and the Countess Sofya (who believes they belong to the family and herself who have supported the Count over the years) - isn't the most dramatically thrilling of situations. To add variety to the constant back and forth battles, showdowns and shouting matches between Chertkov and the Countess over the terms of Tolstoy's will, there is a conventional romance thrown in between naïve new disciple Bulgakov and the rather more worldly Masha on Tolstoy's commune.
Despite the fact that nearly all the situations take place around him between the other protagonists, Tolstoy however rightly retains the strongest position in the film, a fact that can be attributed almost entirely to a convincing performance by Christopher Plummer. While performances are equally as good elsewhere from Helen Mirren, James McAvoy, Paul Giamatti and John Sessions (particularly Mirren), it's hard not to see them as indeed "performances" by well-known and respected actors, whereas Plummer completely inhabits his role and convinces as Tolstoy, putting real character behind the man's revolutionary ascetic, pacifistic ideals. While it never really explores these beliefs and sentiments in any great detail (go read Tolstoy's later works if you are interested, they are worthwhile and, ironically, out of copyright in English translation they can all be downloaded for free from Gutenberg), it does go some way towards making The Last Station a little more meaningful and enjoyable as a film.
It is a strange subject to make a film around, there's no denying that, and indeed The Last Station - based around the struggle over the publishing rights of his entire works between Tolstoy's favourite disciple Chertkov (who wants them to be given freely to the people) and the Countess Sofya (who believes they belong to the family and herself who have supported the Count over the years) - isn't the most dramatically thrilling of situations. To add variety to the constant back and forth battles, showdowns and shouting matches between Chertkov and the Countess over the terms of Tolstoy's will, there is a conventional romance thrown in between naïve new disciple Bulgakov and the rather more worldly Masha on Tolstoy's commune.
Despite the fact that nearly all the situations take place around him between the other protagonists, Tolstoy however rightly retains the strongest position in the film, a fact that can be attributed almost entirely to a convincing performance by Christopher Plummer. While performances are equally as good elsewhere from Helen Mirren, James McAvoy, Paul Giamatti and John Sessions (particularly Mirren), it's hard not to see them as indeed "performances" by well-known and respected actors, whereas Plummer completely inhabits his role and convinces as Tolstoy, putting real character behind the man's revolutionary ascetic, pacifistic ideals. While it never really explores these beliefs and sentiments in any great detail (go read Tolstoy's later works if you are interested, they are worthwhile and, ironically, out of copyright in English translation they can all be downloaded for free from Gutenberg), it does go some way towards making The Last Station a little more meaningful and enjoyable as a film.
48 of 52 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you took a Leo Tolstoy class in college or read one of his works during your time at the library and wanted to know a bit more about the man, don't really look to The Last Station. Does that make it a poor film? Not by a long shot.
The film follows the story of Leo (Christopher Plummer) and Sofya Tolstoy (Helen Mirren), married couple for 43 years, and the battle that raged between them at the end of Leo's life. As Leo's health is ailing, his long time friend Vladimir Chertkov (Paul Giamatti) urges Leo to write a new will, renouncing his material possessions, leaving his wife and family with nothing. All of this is in order to have Leo's movement of peace to go to the majority. Chertkov sends a young follower of the Tolstoyan movement, Valentin Bulgakov, to investigate and inscribe all of Sofya's exaggerated and histrionic antics to work against her campaign.
Firstly, the film is A-typical period piece with all the correct elements of that type of film. Art Direction by Mark Rosinski and Heike Wolf, stunning costume design by Monika Jacobs, and a score to die for by Sergei Yevtushenko is pitch perfect and exalted brilliance. Nothing is wrong with this film technically.
An extraordinary narrative beautifully adapted by the director Michael Hoffman is one of the crowning achievements of his career. Dedicating his all for the sake of the art form, Hoffman writes and directs the screen with meticulousness and accuracy. Playing that extra special detail to smooth out an rough edges paid off for Hoffman immensely.
The cast presented in The Last Station is stellar and one of the best cast ensembles of the 2009. James McAvoy, proving once again, that you don't just lay down the words of your acting, you let the spirit fight its way through your soul and remain a tangible entity for your audience to engage. McAvoy proves he's one of Hollywood's most outstanding talents. Helen Mirren, riding the see-saw with her viewers, never declares any type of emotion until the bitter end. Mirren shows no apparent ambiance of mood or expression. She sizzles through the film, igniting every scene on fire along the way. Christopher Plummer as the lovable Leo is amiable, captivating, and entrancing. Plummer, a talent long overdue for Oscar recognition is enticing. Paul Giamatti, in a more villainous role we haven't seen of him before, is always dependable and alluring. Anne-Marie Duff and Kerry Condon are both enthralling in their roles respectively
The film follows the story of Leo (Christopher Plummer) and Sofya Tolstoy (Helen Mirren), married couple for 43 years, and the battle that raged between them at the end of Leo's life. As Leo's health is ailing, his long time friend Vladimir Chertkov (Paul Giamatti) urges Leo to write a new will, renouncing his material possessions, leaving his wife and family with nothing. All of this is in order to have Leo's movement of peace to go to the majority. Chertkov sends a young follower of the Tolstoyan movement, Valentin Bulgakov, to investigate and inscribe all of Sofya's exaggerated and histrionic antics to work against her campaign.
Firstly, the film is A-typical period piece with all the correct elements of that type of film. Art Direction by Mark Rosinski and Heike Wolf, stunning costume design by Monika Jacobs, and a score to die for by Sergei Yevtushenko is pitch perfect and exalted brilliance. Nothing is wrong with this film technically.
An extraordinary narrative beautifully adapted by the director Michael Hoffman is one of the crowning achievements of his career. Dedicating his all for the sake of the art form, Hoffman writes and directs the screen with meticulousness and accuracy. Playing that extra special detail to smooth out an rough edges paid off for Hoffman immensely.
The cast presented in The Last Station is stellar and one of the best cast ensembles of the 2009. James McAvoy, proving once again, that you don't just lay down the words of your acting, you let the spirit fight its way through your soul and remain a tangible entity for your audience to engage. McAvoy proves he's one of Hollywood's most outstanding talents. Helen Mirren, riding the see-saw with her viewers, never declares any type of emotion until the bitter end. Mirren shows no apparent ambiance of mood or expression. She sizzles through the film, igniting every scene on fire along the way. Christopher Plummer as the lovable Leo is amiable, captivating, and entrancing. Plummer, a talent long overdue for Oscar recognition is enticing. Paul Giamatti, in a more villainous role we haven't seen of him before, is always dependable and alluring. Anne-Marie Duff and Kerry Condon are both enthralling in their roles respectively
32 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I suspect this *will* indeed end up being the best film of 2010 for me.
I disagree slightly with the previous reviewer because I felt each one of the main actors completely 'inhabited' their roles. Because of that fact, the film had a depth of emotional reality ( a human 'core' if you will) that was incredibly moving. It is a film that made me laugh and cry in equal measure. I was engaged with it the entire time and the two hours (just under) passed in a blink.
If I was to be REALLY pedantic, I would say the cinematography was not as great as it could/should have been. A cinematic film like this really deserves the best cinematography 'out there' and it fell slightly short of that.
Also, on reflection, I would say there are a couple of awkward 'edits' and I suspect there is a lot on the cutting room floor. (PLEASE let them be on the DVD as extras!)
Additionally, the film does not show all the events of the chronology of the period it purports to reflect - i.e. it does not show all of the events from the book by Jay Parini. I would have preferred they *had done*, as a few of the events are quite telling and added to the flow of the storyline, notably: when Tolstoy leaves but comes back; when he attends court etc etc.
Additionally, Valentin was not at the station with Tolstoy as shown in the film.
However, in spite of these extremely pedantic niggles,it gets 5 stars from me because the overall effect was fabulous. The film really captures the 'energy' (or emotional and political resonance) of that period of time in Toltoys life - according to his writings, historical evidence and the diaries of his family/friends and employees.
Brilliant.
I will be buying this DVD as soon as it is released! (- this review is based on watching the film in a cinema)
I disagree slightly with the previous reviewer because I felt each one of the main actors completely 'inhabited' their roles. Because of that fact, the film had a depth of emotional reality ( a human 'core' if you will) that was incredibly moving. It is a film that made me laugh and cry in equal measure. I was engaged with it the entire time and the two hours (just under) passed in a blink.
If I was to be REALLY pedantic, I would say the cinematography was not as great as it could/should have been. A cinematic film like this really deserves the best cinematography 'out there' and it fell slightly short of that.
Also, on reflection, I would say there are a couple of awkward 'edits' and I suspect there is a lot on the cutting room floor. (PLEASE let them be on the DVD as extras!)
Additionally, the film does not show all the events of the chronology of the period it purports to reflect - i.e. it does not show all of the events from the book by Jay Parini. I would have preferred they *had done*, as a few of the events are quite telling and added to the flow of the storyline, notably: when Tolstoy leaves but comes back; when he attends court etc etc.
Additionally, Valentin was not at the station with Tolstoy as shown in the film.
However, in spite of these extremely pedantic niggles,it gets 5 stars from me because the overall effect was fabulous. The film really captures the 'energy' (or emotional and political resonance) of that period of time in Toltoys life - according to his writings, historical evidence and the diaries of his family/friends and employees.
Brilliant.
I will be buying this DVD as soon as it is released! (- this review is based on watching the film in a cinema)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beautifully filmed.
This is a beautifully, directed and art directed film, the cast is wonderful and the acting brilliant. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ann Barrett
Only in ENGLISH ! ! !
Attention pour le Frenchy moyen qui serait tenté par ce superbe film, il est ici sur ce Bluray en langue Anglaise, Point Barre ! Read more
Published 3 months ago by Janus
Good if you want to sleep
I have to say, this was probally one of the most boring film I have seen but then maybe I was missing something or I am not a intellectual, the latter I think.
Published 4 months ago by Mr. Jeffrey Windsor
Tells the story beautifully.
Tells the story of a marriage in crisis, without taking sides. The characters are human and acted sympathetically. The sets, costumes and landscape is beautiful. Read more
Published 7 months ago by KAW
The last station
There was something wrong with this DVD unless it was my player in that it kept stopping and starting but the content was great.
Published 12 months ago by Mrs. Patricia K. Horne
Great film - pity about the pre-film adverts
I missed this film in the cinema - no that's not true - the distribution system in the UK these days is a disgrace. Read more
Published 13 months ago by jayjay1
Wonderful film...
Mirren and Plummer were excellent...as were all the cast and production.
Though I found this was an immensely enjoyable and fascinating film
(and delicately touching... Read more
Though I found this was an immensely enjoyable and fascinating film
(and delicately touching... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Wallace Harrison
Disappointing
Pity that such a lot could have been made of the story of Tolstoy's last days - this managed to appear very slow and left a poor impression of on eof the best literary figures of... Read more
Published 16 months ago by John P. Bottle
Thoroughly enjoyed it
Great film, fantastic actors and very interesting story. Tolstoy became a vegetarian/vegan at the end of his life and after that his health started to decline. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mr. S. Ryzhenok
Slow, painful and laboured
This DVD has the disadvantage for the film of being used as an advertising medium for several other films which present their preview with a NO FAST FORWARD control, ensuring the... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Keira DVD reviews
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