Water for Elephants (DVD, 2011)

An elderly man shows up at a circus and spins a fascinating tale of romance and disaster in which he played a leading role. Yes, it sounds like TITANIC, only this time it's the man who survives, and his past adventure takes place in 1931. This film re-creates a Depression-era circus as meticulously as TITANIC re-created an opulent 1912 ocean liner. The difference is, the Titanic and its passengers are on a glamorous, glittering journey until the iceberg changes everything. In WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, the struggling circus and its personnel are limping toward disaster, and you're almost thankful when it finally happens, because it just might change everything. The love triangle here is similar to that of TITANIC. Robert Pattinson (best known as vampire Edward Cullen in the TWILIGHT saga)plays the circus veterinarian. His character comes across as naive, even weak at times, but this is fitting, given his character is new to the circus world. Reese Witherspoon as Marlena, an experienced circus performer with an abusive husband, is no stereotypical battered woman waiting for rescue. The character --- and the actress --- are remarkably strong. The film has many sad moments but is at times uplifting. Rosie the Elephant nearly steals the show.

This is an enjoyable movie and I recommend it. The movie begins with a 93 year old man standing in the rain to see the circus. He missed it, and they are packing up to leave. The manager sees him and tries to get him to come in out of the rain and telephone the nursing home where he lives to come get him. He begins telling this remarkable story about his years in the circus, the Benzini Bros. Circus and the story of what really happened in those last days in 1931.

Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattingson)is a Polish American Veterinary student at Cornell University and is taking his final examination when he is summoned to the office and told that his parents have just been killed in an auto accident. It is 1931 and it is the Great Depression. More bad news comes in the form of the bank telling him that his father was over his head in debt and that the house and family practice is also lost. Unable to finish his schooling, Jacob takes to the rails to find work, and climbs on to the Benzini Bros. circus train. After working for a day as a rough-neck, the owner of the circus, August (Christopher Waltz), was going to kick him off. Jacob challenged him by saying that he bet that Wringling Bros. had their own Vet. He was kept onboard as Vet.

Jacob had met the owner's wife earlier in the day, Marlena (Reese Witherspoon), and there was an instant attraction. Quickly, Jacob realizes that the circus is a very different business, and that the circus owner, August, can be a dangerous man. In the circus if you can walk you can perform. The lead horse in Marlena's act was injured and suffering, but was made to perform. Jacob, shot the horse to put it out of its misery. Marlena was grateful, but told him that August would throw him off because of it. This ran afoul of August, but he was not severely punished. Punishment on the Circus Train was called "Red Lighting". What this meant was they threw you off the moving train, and you probably were killed. A new act was purchased by August, a large elephant named Rosie. Marlena was to perform with her. August had a sadistic side to him and often beat the animals, and anyone or anything that didn't perform up to his expectations had a problem. Before long, Marlena is in love with Jacob, but is afraid to try to leave August. Their profound love for oneanother and compassion for the extraordinary elephant binds them together. Marlena's domineering husband and his dangerous wrath threatens tragedy for all involved. Finally Marlena makes her break with Jacob and they escape August, but in the morning they are caught and he is beaten badly. Marlena is forced to return to the train. Jacob follows and finds several others who were "Red Lighted" and survived. They go back and release the animals during a performance and cause a stampede. The circus is wrecked and the elephant, Rosie, kills August as he is attempting to kill Jacob. Marlena, Jacob, and Rosie went on to Wringling Brothers Circus for many years. Now, Marlena and Rosie are gone, and his son hasn't showed up for the circus like he promised.

I really wanted to see this at theater but did not get a chance to. I just rented it & watched. I do like Reese a lot. To be honest I know who Robert is although I have not seen the Twilight movies.(ya ya boo me) anyways,, despite me not being a twilight fan I found Robert cute & charming in this movie.
The movie is solid & will keep your interest.
I did not quite feel any chemistry between the two main characters, which was the point of the film.
It was beautifully filmed, with the circus & everything, it makes you sink into the movie a bit. I was only disappointed in the fact of romance being completely unbelievable & would not recommend for "young" kids. There is some cruelty to an elephant during two scenes, one being pretty bad, my child was very upset. So other then that it was still worth watching for sure.

***MINIMAL SPOILERS***

In this cinematic spectacle, down-on-his-luck veterinary student Jacob Janikowski( Robert Pattinson) happens to jump a train to anywhere but that train leads him to finding vet work at the circus.

However, Jacob becomes intrigued by the stunningly beautiful wife of the circus owner, Marlena( Reese Witherspoon), and she is at first as cold and unreachable as she looks to be.

The owner, August( Christopher Waltz), is a tyrranical, cruel, and murderous owner who puts the bottom line in front of everything else. So much so, he scavanges a 53-year old Elephant named Rosie from another bankrupt circus, and allows Jacob to maintain Rosie.

Eventually Jacob earns the respect of the other "crew" of the circus; learns about "missing" crew members, and Jacob witnesses the extreme violence from August through the tortures of Rosie the Elephant, and the verbal abuse towards Marlena.

Rosie turns out to be much smarter and aware than anyone thought at first; elephants are truly amazing animals and ARE intelligent.

This movie shows EXACTLY how the circuses operated during the great depression, and probably operated that way since the 1870's here in America.

Animals were fed the bare minimal quality food, and most of the time the owners "skimped" paying the crew, with a myriad of excuses, some valid, some not.

This movie showed how hard that circus life must have been for everyone, except the owner.

This is one of my favorite books of all time! The title really doesn't say much about the story except you know there is an elephant involved, but the writer has done a magnificent job making the characters come alive! I have also seen the DVD and like most, the book far surpasses the movie due to its development of characters that you won't soon forget. I 100% recommend this book!!!