Page 22 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • May 4, 2011 Depression-era circus adventure is refreshing to watch by Dennis Seuling “Water for Elephants” is a rare movie these days -- one that tells a good story with no pyrotechnic special effects, car chases, or mayhem. The movie holds the viewer by virtue of its period setting, circus milieu, colorful carny folk, and a tale of romance and betrayal. The film opens with an elderly man, Jacob (Hal Holbrook), wandering into a traveling circus that has closed down for the night. A bit confused, he is taken to the manager’s office, where he relates his own circus story. The scene shifts to 1931. The young Jacob (Robert Pattinson) is on the verge of receiving his veterinary license when a family tragedy strikes. With no financial means of his own, Jacob jumps a freight train, hoping to find work opportunities in the big city. The train happens to be carrying the Benzini Brothers circus, ruled by the autocratic August (Christoph Waltz), who prides himself on a tight organization run according to his own “laws.” August’s first response is to have Jacob thrown off the train, but Jacob uses his veterinary credentials to talk himself into a job, since the circus travels with dozens of animals. Jacob soon meets Marlena (Reese Witherspoon), the circus’ star performer and August’s young wife. When August purchases Rosie, an elephant he hopes will bring in the crowds, Jacob is assigned to train the animal. Marlena will star with Rosie in a new act. “Water for Elephants” benefits from a superb cast. Waltz easily dominates as a man who must rule like a dictator, but is also a father figure to his displaced circus family, whose only real home is the train that carries them from town to town. When he acts as ringmaster and introduces the assorted circus acts, the bravado is an extension of his personality: broad, larger than life, and grand. He has a loving side, but also a merciless, cruel streak that manifests itself in his dealings with both people and animals. Waltz brings some of the menace from his “Inglourious Basterds” Colonel Landa to his performance as August, but also manages to Christoph Waltz and Reese Witherspoon in a scene from ‘Water for Elephants.’ elicit sympathy, depending on the scene. His ability to convince as both sides of his Jekyll/Hyde personality makes his August fascinating, unpredictable, and dangerous. Witherspoon’s Marlena, who is all dolled up with platinum hair, slinky gowns, and glittery circus costumes, has learned that the best way to live with August is to let him lead the way while she does her shows, takes bows, and charms audiences with smiles that transform into box office dollars. Viewers learn about a troubled childhood in which she was bounced from one foster home to another until August found her and turned her into his own Galatea, exploiting her looks and capacity for quick learning into a commercial asset. Witherspoon conveys a kind of entrapment more with her expressions and the way she responds to August than with her words. Without him, Marlena would be lost. Pattinson is the third point of a romantic triangle. He is pleasant enough, and his acting is fine, but he never matches the power that Waltz conveys, even when he is not on screen. Viewers accept the romantic attraction between Jacob and Marlena, (continued on Crossword page) 176 Ramapo Valley Road Oakland, NJ 201-337-8777 Hrs: Mon-Sat 7:00a,-9:00pm; Sun 7:00am-8:30pm FREE DELIVERY to Oakland and Franklin Lakes between the hours of 7am-3pm & 5pm-8pm with $10.00 minimum order. 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