Anna Karenina

British director Joe Wright returns to period drama with his fifth feature which is a dazzling adaptation of the epic novel by Leo Tolstoy. The tragic love affair between a married socialite and a cavalry officer has devastating consequences. Wright and writer Tom Stoppard created a cinematic equivalent of a Fabergé egg with their bold adaptation of the epic novel without sacrificing any characters or dramatic impact.
Wright and his talented cast and crew deliver another astonishing film that breaks new ground while staying true to the source of the material which is a remarkable achievement on all levels. Keira Knightley stars with a stellar cast down to the smallest roles which includes Jude Law, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen, Alicia Vikander, Olivia Williams, Emily Watson, Michelle Dockery, Domhnall Gleeson and Raphaël Personnaz amongst others.
Knightley who reunited with Wright for the third time delivers another terrific performance as the woman caught between love and duty. She makes a convincing Anna that womanizing cavalry officer like Vronsky would fall for. Perhaps the biggest change is the role of Alexei Karenin who's much younger than in the novel, perfectly played by Jude Law in an inspired casting choice which pays off greatly adding to the complexity of conflict.
The film's technical aspects are first rate from Sarah Greenwood's production design to the costumes of Jacqueline Durran brilliantly captured by cinematographer Seamus McGarvey, edited by Melanie Oliver and scored by Dario Marianelli. 1001 Films' coverage of upcoming releases.