What Do The Critics Say?

"August is played in chilling complexity by Christoph Waltz, tapping into some of the energy that won him an Oscar. There is a building sense of tension and danger in the movie. Water for Elephants reminds us that there is something deeply true about the world under the Big Top. We all want the crowd to love us. And I think the crowd will love this movie." Lisa Ann Cockrel CHRISTIANITY TODAY "Waltz is the main attraction. As in "Inglourious Basterds", he goes from quiet charm to terrifying violence and in the process acts every man, woman and elephant off the screen. A visual treat and a fascinating look at circus life in a bygone era." Alex Zane SUN ONLINE "An engrossing, old-fashioned romantic-triangle motion picture with appeal for both men and women: in other words, the type of movie that used to be a Hollywood staple. John Beifuss COMMERCIAL APPEAL "It's the love triangle which will drive many of you to buy tickets to Water for Elephants, but the movie as a whole is so much more. One of the best movies of the year so far that has you rooting for a dying circus, true love and one guy who just needs a second chance." WILLIE WAFFLE "Robert Pattinson is completely free of his famous Twilight vampire persona as Jacob, and makes an effective, likeable (and minimalist) Jacob. There is just the right chemistry between him and Reese Witherspoon as Marlena, who clings to her domineering and volatile husband August, played with wonderful nuance by Christoph Waltz. The three of them, often on screen together, create a terrific dynamic. All the supports are great, from the miniature Mark Povinelli to the oversize Scott MacDonald." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE "Witherspoon never looked more lovely than she does in her sparkly circus attire while doing Marlena’s routines with the marvelous elephant. Director Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend) and screenwriter Richard LaGravanese deserve credit for presenting a film that honors Sara Gruen’s splendid novel. Water for Elephants must be seen on the big screen to be fully appreciated. Sometimes while watching it, I actually felt as gritty as the circus workers or as spellbound as the spectators inside the Big Top." Betty Jo Tucker REEL TALK MOVIE REVIEWS

"Robert Pattinson is a very good actor. There, I said it. People want to hate the kid because he's the star of the Twilight flicks but I say give the guy a chance. He was very good in Remember Me and even better in Water for Elephants. The film is so beautiful to look at, especially if you're an animal lover. Water for Elephants is a beautiful and captivating film that you will never forget! Robert Pattinson delivers a magnificent performance alongside Witherspoon and Waltz!" vin McCarthy BDK REVIEWS "On top of the beautiful cinematography and great turns from Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz, Robert Pattinson finally becomes a star attraction in his own right. Not only does Pattinson give an impressive performance, but he also holds his own alongside his Oscar-winning co-stars, Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz. An immensely entertaining and downright wonderful film. " Scott Mantz ACCESS HOLLYWOOD "Well portrayed reality under the big top. We can almost smell the sawdust, illegal liquor and animal dung surrounded by exotic performers that excels at drawing us into the story and making it enjoyable." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "Can Robert Pattinson step out of the twilight to establish himself as a romantic lead without fangs? On the basis of this latest big screen appearance, there’s certainly hope for the British heart-throb. Pattinson acquits himself well in this adaptation of the novel by Sara Gruen about a doomed love affair in a 1930s circus troupe, playing to his strengths: angry-ridden glances straight into the camera; as one point of a volatile love triangle that’s destined to end in tragedy." Catherine Jones LIVERPOOL ECHO "The scene where scores of workers erect a big top and attendant sideshows conveys wonder, excitement and joy that are rare in modern cinema. It evokes old-fashioned Hollywood at its best, with epic production values and formidable organisation. This is high romantic melodrama: Titanic on dry land, with the doomed liner turned into a Thirties travelling circus careering towards catastrophe." Christopher Tookey UK DAILY MAIL

The Inside Story When Sara Gruen’s novel Water for Elephants was published in 2006, it became a huge success, spending twelve weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The book continues to be a huge paperback seller, remaining on the top of the charts. Readers around the world respond to Gruen’s characters’ joys, loves, redemptions and challenges. Gruen ("Ape House") says her novel is about "love in all its forms: between men and women, amongst families; and between people and animals. It’s about the different ways we treat each other; sometimes we do it well, and sometimes not." Among the book’s legions of fans is Oscar® winning actress Reese Witherspoon ("Walk The Line"). "It’s a wonderful story of love, hope, redemption, second chances and finding happiness. I got so pulled into the world Sara created." Years later, Witherspoon ("Sweet Home Alabama") would take on the role of the book’s heroine, Marlena, the star attraction of a fading circus. With Marlena’s shimmering eyes and hair, porcelain skin, pink sequins that make her glisten and sparkle, and her ability to connect with animals, she is a beautiful, natural and graceful performer. But Marlena’s personal life contrasts strongly with the joy she finds performing. She is trapped in a difficult and complex marriage with the circus ringmaster and owner, August, an imposing and charismatic presence who can charm, seduce, or attack with equal power. Twilight star Robert Pattinson was another admirer of Gruen’s characters and world. "Someone sent me the book, and I immediately connected to it. Pattinson would later agree to portray Jacob Jankowski, who after a personal tragedy, wanders without destination before hopping aboard a random train, which turns out to be the home of The Benzini Bros Circus. That fateful train ride ultimately takes Jacob to Marlena, and a romance and destiny that neither could have imagined." Not long after the book’s publication, these beloved characters began their journey from the printed page to the big screen. In late 2008, producer Gil Netter ("Marley & Me") approached director Francis Lawrence ("I Am Legend") about turning "Water for Elephants" into a film. "I read the book in one sitting," Lawrence ("Constantine") recalls. "It was such a great visceral experience, and the story existed in a very rich and detailed world. I loved the characters and the emotion." Lawrence chose to focus on the relationship between Marlena and Jacob, as well as recreating the magical world Gruen had detailed in her novel. "The relationship between Marlena and Jacob that we built in the movie is really one of my favorite things. It’s a really nice slow burn. I think Jacob falls instantly for Marlena’s beauty, magic, strength and confidence. I think she falls for his morality." Lawrence and producer Erwin Stoff ("I Am Legend") brought the project to 2007 Humanitas Prize winner Richard LaGravenese ("Freedom Writers"), to adapt Gruen’s book. They were well aware of the challenges and responsibilities of being entrusted with a beloved story, cast of characters and of paring down a four hundred page book into a workable screenplay. "This was my first time working with a screenwriter to adapt a book, and our approach was to try and stay true to its themes, tone and broad strokes," Lawrence explained. "There were some key moments in the book that are important to get into the movie, but part of the fun is interpreting the original material and coming up with new ideas, as well." "It’s important to keep what readers expect, but at the same time you have to understand that, when reading a story, you’re seeing and hearing characters in your head, and everyone has their own versions in their own minds." And there is a big difference between the minds view and what is seen on-screen, right? "When you see the story played on screen with real people it becomes literal: one version; and there are certain ideas that work in a book that wouldn’t work on screen." Working under Lawrence’s guidance, LaGravenese fine-tuned the screenplay over several drafts. Their key task, says LaGravenese, was "making the three principal characters more active, and re-inventing Marlena’s and August’s backstories. We wanted every character’s reasons to be understood, so that morally, who’s right and who’s wrong, is a little more complex. No one is one hundred percent innocent." Changes from the book included combining two of Gruen’s characters; Marlena’s husband August, who in the novel is the head animal trainer; and Uncle Al, the book’s violent, abusive circus owner. LaGravenese revealed their thinking. "Combining August and Uncle Al made the August character more dangerous, which is always a good thing. The screenwriter also reworked and enriched how a now-aged Jacob recounts his story of his experiences with the Benzini Bros Circus and his relationship with longtime love, Marlena. Sara Gruen, who was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, was impressed with the adaptation. "I thought the changes [in the screenplay] were brilliant. Writing a screenplay is a completely different set of skills than writing a novel. Francis and Richard took something that takes approximately fourteen hours to read and transformed it into something that can be watched in a couple of hours. They certainly did not diminish the story." First to join the cast of "Water For Elephants" was three time People's Choice USA Award winner Reese Witherspoon (Favorite Female Movie Star). Lawrence notes, "Reese was a true creative partner in the early days of putting the project together. She brought so much to the film and to the character of Marlena. Reese is a fantastic actress, beautiful and timeless, loves animals and is fearless; she’ll try anything. Marlena is a bit tough and hardened; she isn’t a victim of August or anyone else. Reese, too, can be very strong." An already professed fan of the book, 2008 Strasbourg International Film Festival Prize winner Robert Pattinson (Best Actor for "How to Be") became even more intrigued about a movie adaptation when he read the script. "Somehow, it seemed like Francis and Richard had added even more to the story." Francis Lawrence was convinced that Pattinson was right for the role after he discussed the project with him for several hours. "I thought Robert was Jacob Jankowski. It was difficult to find a young man of age twenty three or four who didn’t seem too young for the part. Rob was already a man. He is thoughtful, intelligent, empathetic, strong, and confident." The Lord and Master of the Known and Unknown Universe, is August the Benzini Bros Circus owner and ringmaster, played by Oscar® winning actor, Christoph Waltz ("Inglourious Basterds"). Witherspoon praises Waltz (who will next be seen in "The Three Musketeers"), for "really getting to the bottom of August’s darkness. He just does an extraordinary job of playing the character’s contrasting sides." Lawrence notes: "Christoph came to us with such love for the character and the story, as well as for its world and themes. He was perfect for the role because of his electric charm and his danger. He brings a key mix of intelligence, sharpness and humor." Having now portrayed a ringmaster and animal trainer, the acclaimed actor is more expansive about his admiration for those who make their living training our four-legged friends. "I wouldn’t have the patience to train an animal, so I hardly have the patience to play an animal trainer. I admire Gary Johnson, who is calm, quiet, centered and patient. To be around Gary makes me calm and centered, and I can watch and learn." Amid the magical world of the circus and its bigger than life performers, the Big Top’s towering star is Rosie the Elephant, who is nearly nine feet tall and weighs 9,000 pounds. Rosie is portrayed by fourty two year old Tai, a motion picture veteran ("Bigger than Life" & "The Jungle Book"), who lives in Perris, California with principal trainer Gary Johnson, of Have Trunk Will Travel Inc®. Tai was an instant hit with all cast and crew members, who marveled at not only her thespian skills, but at the gentle giant’s calm amidst the controlled chaos of a bustling film set. Witherspoon developed an especially close bond with the Tai. The two started working together some three months prior to the start of principal photography, "on everything from her lifting me in the air to me learning how to flip backwards on Tai." And like most of the fairer sex, Tai wasn’t immune to the considerable charms of Pattinson. The elephant often playfully flirted with the actor, who often hid treats on his person for her to find. The feeling was mutual says Pattinson: "Rosie’s demeanor is so fascinating that it magnifies the character's experiences with her. And I felt exactly the same way working with Tai. I’ve never been next to such an enormous animal that is so graceful and careful around people." Hal Holbrook, whose career kicked off in 1966 at the age of fourty one, plays the Old Jacob. Since then, he has appeared in more than fourty films including "Magnum Force", "All The President’s Men", "Wall Street" and Sean Penn's, "Into the Wild". He has received five Emmy® Awards for a variety of television performances, numerous Honorary Doctrates and other awards including, in 2003, the National Humanities Medal from the President. The principal set was constructed in Piru, California. The Southern California location was chosen for its close proximity to the exotic animals required by the story, as well as for its access to railroad cars and tracks. They also filmed in various other Southern California locations, including the Twentieth Century Fox backlot, which was home to a glorious circus parade. The production also made a quick stop in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to make use of some period trains. The physical layout of the massive Piru-based production encompassed tents for the big top, a menagerie, a tent for the "Coochie Girls", a star tent for Marlena, and several other smaller tents. The largest tent: the Big Top; measured 160 feet by 100 feet with bleachers that could hold up to eight hundred people. And Sara Gruen’s reaction when she visited the set? "I was speechlesss. It’s so close to what I had imagined. It’s a very surreal experience." What's It All About?

It's 1931. Jacob Jankowski is sitting his Veterinary exams when news comes that his parents have been killed in a car accident. Alone and penniless, he abandons his studies and hits the road, hoping it wil take him to a new life. Then, in the middle of the night, on a nearby rail-track, a train appears. Siezing the moment he chases after it and scrambles aboard. What he doesn't know is that the train is carrying the Benzini travelling circus. He soon finds himself fronting tough boss, August, who takes Jacob on as the circus's Vet. The shows main attraction is a horse spectacle, starring the gorgeous Marlena, August's wife. When Jacob puts down one of her horses, August is forced to find her a new act. But, in the midst of the Great Depression, it must be special and draw in big crowds. Their saviour is an Elephant named Rosie. Until Jacob and Marlena, dangerously, find they are falling in love.

The Verdict "Those who have read Sara Gruen's wonderful novel "Water For Elephants" need not fear seeing this bigscreen version. The author gave it her stamp of approval and that should be good enough recommendation for all her fans to take in this marvellous production that provides all the emotions instilled into every page of her New York Times best seller. "Water For Elephants" will not only thrill, excite, enchant and terrify you, it will also have you recoiling in horror too. The scene when the big top goes up will bring memories of childhood amazement for those of us old enough to remember when the circus (the real circus and not the one with only human performers) came to town. "People have always wanted to have their 'day at the circus', a joyful moment taking them outside their everyday lives," Reese Witherspoon noted. Well, thanks to "Water For Elephants", they will certainly get it. The cast is superb. Pattinson and Witherspoon are convincing. 2010 Oscar winner Waltz pulls out another memorable performance. Hal Holbrook gives a noteworthy contribution as the Old Jacob, introducing the story of his time at the Benzini Bros Circus. But above all this: the actors, sets, carnie folk and the growing love between Jacob and Marlena; the biggest star is Rosie. Played by Tai the elephant, she is adorable and I guarantee many in the audience will instantly fall in love with her. Bring the tissues, because there's some very emotional moments at the end. I'm sure Gruen fans and cinemagoers, appreciative of the quality within "Water For Elephants", will rate this higher than the 'critics'. I did. 4 1/2 STARS." Who Is Playing Who?

Hal Holbrook Reese Witherspoon Robert Pattinson Christoph Waltz Paul Schneider Jim Norton Mark Povinelli Richard Brake Stephen Taylor Ken Foree Scott MacDonald James Frain Sam Anderson John Aylward Brad Greenquist Tim Guinee Donna W. Scott E.E. Bell Kyle Jordan Aleksandra Kaniak Ilia Volok Bruce Gray Jim Jansen James Keane

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Old Jacob Marlena Jacob August Charlie Camel Kinko/Walter Grady Wade Earl Blackie Rosie's Caretaker Mr Hyde Mr Erwin Mr Robinson Diamond Joe Barbara Cecil the Barker Russ Jacob's Mother Jacob's Father Proctor Dean Wilkins Chaplain

The Production Team Directed by Francis Lawrence Screenplay by Richard LaGravenese Adapted from the Sara Gruen novel "Water For Elephants" Produced by Gil Netter/Erwin Stoff/Andrew R Tennenbaum Original Music by James Newton Howard Director of photography Rodrigo Prieto Film Editing by Alan Edward Bell Casting by Denise Chamian Production Design by Jack Fisk Art Direction by David Crank Set Decoration by Jim Erickson Costume Design by Jacqueline West Run Time 120 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2011 - Fox 2000 Films - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2011 - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved. Protected by Australian & International Copyright, Trademark Laws & Intellectual Property Rights.