Highlights of an excellent review from The Hollywood Reporter:

A review by By Stephen Farber:

TELLURIDE, Colo. -- With awards season looking a little thin this year, a savvy distributor should snap up Michael Hoffman's "The Last Station," which had its world premiere screenings during the weekend at Telluride. Three superb performances by Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer and James McAvoy should have Oscar handicappers drooling. Although this story of the last days of Leo Tolstoy is specialized material, it packs an emotional wallop that costume pictures often lack. "Station" has the potential to be a substantial art house hit. It also is the high-water mark in Hoffman's 20-year career.

The picture is far livelier than the standard literary biopic. Welcome bursts of rowdy humor and sensuality punctuate the intrigue.

The actors bring all the pain and longing to the surface. Mirren can explode with anger at one moment and fall into desperate neediness the next. Because of her eloquent performance, even during Sofya's most operatic tirades, we always feel her abiding love for her husband.

Plummer has been shamefully overlooked by Oscar voters during his four-decade film career. This might finally be the time for the Academy to make amends. He looks remarkably like the familiar photographs of the aging author, and he has the stature to play genius convincingly. But Plummer also captures the great man's frailties with self-deprecating humor.

Playing against these two giants, it's amazing that McAvoy holds his own. The opening scenes showing Valentin awestruck in the presence of his idol represent the height of high comedy. As he comes to recognize his hero's feet of clay, McAvoy's reactions deepen poignantly. This is the actor's best performance to date.

Kerry Condon as his love interest has just the right skeptical, earthy spirit. Anne-Marie Duff as Tolstoy's conflicted daughter also hits emotional high notes. Only Giamatti as the pompous antagonist seems a bit uncomfortable, but maybe that's because his role is the least nuanced in the script.

Technical credits are splendid in this German-Russian co-production. Sebastian Edschmid's handsome cinematography and Patrizia von Brandenstein's impeccable production design add immeasurably to the movie's impact. But more important than the fine craftsmanship is the unabashed emotional power that the film summons in its final scenes. Thanks to the fire of the acting as well as the shrewdness of the writing and direction, there is unlikely to be a dry eye in the house.

For the full review: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film-reviews/the-last-station-film-review-1004009958.story

Edited 1 time by Helen M Sep 9 09 7:42 AM.