Cinéma Québec: St-Raymond

You can't really blame me for never reading the book, it's quite hefty. But I was hoping that watching the movie would make me a little bit more cultured. It didn't. The plot was not given a fighting chance to develop properly and lacked some serious substance. The only things that were good about this film were the things you typically don't think of when you want to watch a film. Costume design. No one ever goes into a movie thinking about how great the costumes are going to be. We want a good story and some great acting, and unfortunately got neither of those things.

Great show. Really appreciated the cinematography and the period costumes. Quite the story. Well done Keira.

Loved it! Great cinematography and story line. Very touching & the costume design was wonderful!

An incredible drama, acted very well and staged beautifully.

Film voué à un grand avenir, en route vers la soirée des Oscars. L'histoire de la Russie impériale m'a toujours passionnée. Film à grand déploiement, un grand bal est un vrai grand bal! Le fait que le film semble tourné au théâtre ajoute beaucoup de réalisme et profondeur. Grands interprètes bien dirigés. Je le reverrai probablement... 9/

Enjoyed the way the movie was done. A little different but not many people would take to it. Not a dull moment whatsoever.

Unique directorial presentation but I not sure " Joe"got it "Wright"! Very little chemistry between the two lovers. I think a miscast here! Jude Law plays the forgiving husband well, but the whole movie misses the mark. Fantastic costumes, but a movie has to be more than clothes!!

Loved the way it was filmed. It was not a disappointment. Worth seeing for sure.

From what I read about Anna Karenina, it seemed like this movie didn't capture how truly tragic the whole story was. It would have been nice if the actors would have done a Russian accent even if it was an all British cast. They are actors after all. It would have made it feel more like a Russian story. Only worth seeing this movie because it looked beautiful. By the way the story was presented in the movie, I didn't really get the feel for anything for that time in Russia that inspried the book.

I loved this movie - because of the staging. It was so uniquely done and there was so much symbolism built into this movie. It felt that we were in a live theatre on some levels - other times in a 50's movie. I loved the scenes with the dancing and with the factory scenes. If any disappointment - I don't particularly enjoy Keira Knightley - she's pretty and wears costumes really nicely, but I think she plays the same character in all her movies the same way. Loved how the actor portrayed her brother, also her husband. Jude Law - I don't think he was fabulous. Again, he was ok. But this was a beautiful film, very uniquely portrayed, very light. Very serious topic. But enjoyable.

Incredibly beautiful and creative... mesmerizing!

[ATTENTION: This review reveals content of the movie.]
One of the so few times that the movie is as good as the book. A bit too much of caricature of the Russian society but this allows even better to appreciate what is happening to Anna and how tragic is her life and especially her end.

Very good movie, actors, production, everything. I was a bit puzzled at first with the way the story was shown with theater mixed with 'real' scenery but it was very good. It is good that the melodrama of the story was not avoided and that the tragic of Anna's life dominated.

This is an intelligent, original rendering of a well-known Tolstoy story and it is far-removed from the Greta Garbo straight forward version of the 30s. And that's a good thing. It reminds one of the expression," all the world's a stage."; the viewer is given that impression, that he is looking at scenes presented on a stage or above the stage. There is too much detail to recount here, but it must be said that Ms. Knightly is a luminous Anna. The movie is a visual feast with incomparable photography, costumes and production design. Scene transitions are ingenious. Yes, the film is very arty but in a unique and operatic fashion.

Great artistic direction. I loved the symbolism, the costumes and the set. The emotion in the acting was superb! Overall, it was not what I expected and much more. I need to read the book!

Exquisite artifice. Captures the period. Foreshadows the Russian Revolution.

Leo Tolstoy is one of the best writer of all time. He saw that emotions rule, not intelligence. Movies are always an insight into the frailties of humanity.

A poor rendition of the classic novel. Read the book instead.

I kept waiting for everyone to get "off the stage" and more into movie style because that's what it is, a movie, if I wanted to see a play, I would have gone to see a play! They keep trying to do something different and artistic but with a classic like this one that most people know, it just doesn't work. The only thing I liked was the costumes. The love scenes were close to vulgar and not tender and romantic at all, no feeling and you don't really feel for Anna (I actually started to dislike her) Earlier adaptations of this great classic are way superior!!

Very poorly put together. I wouldn't see it if it was free. I tried sleeping throughout it, but too noisy. More fun watching paint dry.

An ambitious attempt. Beautiful lighting, interesting concept with sets, and a few great performances from Jude Law and company. Unfortunately none of it could mask the painful lack of passion and chemistry between the two main leads.