Water for Elephants presents surprisingly satisfying plot, acting

When Water for Elephants starts, Jacob (Robert Pattinson) is about to take his finals and receive his doctorate of veterinary science from Cornell University.  The path of his life seems set before him with ease.  My initial impression was that Jacob was a privileged, lustful Ivy League guy from a rich family who never really worked for anything in his life.

I did not understand how this Cornell student, that appeared to have everything together, was going to end up as part of a circus.  In an instant everything changed for Jacob.  His parents, Polish immigrants, are killed in a tragic car accident.

Leaving without finishing his final exams, Jacob takes off down the train tracks, and by chance jumps aboard a train carrying the Benzini Brothers Circus.  What Jacob did not know is that this event would change his life once again.

It is in the circus where Jacob meets and falls in love with Marlena (Reese Witherspoon), the beautiful wife of ring-master August and the star performer of the show.  From the first time Marlena and Jacob meet, their connection to each other is apparent. One cannot help but root for them to be together by the movie’s end.

Die-hard Twilight fans may have trouble watching Pattinson portray a character other than Edward Cullen, but they will be pleasantly surprised with the depth Pattinson brings to his character Jacob.

Pattinson’s emotional and heart-wrenching performance pulls viewers into the movie in such a way that they feel they are a part of the world of the circus themselves. I found myself sucked into the movie, experiencing the emotions along with the characters.

Witherspoon’s performance is extraordinary.  Her character has been part of the circus for so long that she does not really know any other life but one on the road.  At one point in the movie, Pattinson’s character leans to her and says, “You are a beautiful woman.  You deserve a beautiful life.”

You witness the unfolding of her relationship with her husband August, a temperamental and abusive man, as the story develops.  I longed for Marlena to realize the world that was outside of her trapped life with August.

As Marlena and Jacob’s relationship grew, it became more apparent that their decisions to both run away from the unfulfilling situations in their lives was the best thing they could have done, and this is what ultimately brings them together in the end.

Water for Elephants leaves the audience with the idea that maybe the only way to find home is to walk out the front door and force oneself not to look back.

Christina Duzan can be reached at   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.