The period piece The Last Station has garnered accolades by the Academy of Arts and Sciences with Oscar nominations for Helen Mirren and Christopher Plumber, and rightly so.  Their performances in this film make it more than worthwhile to see.  If you like a good story of romance, beauty and great costumes, then run to see The Last Station.

The film follows the last months of Leo Tolstoy’s life, and centers on his relationship with his wife, followers and ideals.   A man who believed in equality in Russia, Tolstoy championed for a society that would not be ruled by the rich. 

In this snippet of the man’s life we see his undying love for his wife Sofya, a deep passionate one that could not be broken by outsiders who would want the two separated for their own ill gotten gain.  It also shows how he had to deal with her desire to keep the wealth that he had acquired and pass it along to the children.  It becomes a task that would make an attempt to break Tolstoy’s will to spread it out amongst the Russian people.  In the mix, his top disciple Valdimir Cherkov tries to keep Sofya away from her husband using trickery and deceit so he can control the Tolstoy’s destiny for greatness.

The film also infuses a love story between Tolstoy’s assistant Valentin Bulgakov and the free-spirited Masha.  The two find each other at a commune where sex, love and life are as passionate as the work they are doing to further Tolstoy’s work. I  like the sweetness of this story and the chemistry between the actors, Anne-Marie Duff and James McAvoy, who add a little  excitement to the otherwise cheerless storyline.

The directing by Hoffman is very good, providing scene after scene of tableaus that could be hung in art galleries.  His depiction of the era comes off the screen with wondrous excitement and beauty.  Tolstoy’s estate and the train station where  the story ends are magnificent canvases on which he paints his luminous film.

The film is rated R for scene of sexuality and nudity. 

FINAL ANALYSIS:  A tableau of historical significance and beauty.

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