I liked some aspects of this film. 1. The character of August was somewhat well-acted (although his actions are not always consistent - how he rationalizes how he suddenly starts to like Jacob or how he gives him free passes didn't seem believable or coherent with his type of character) 2. Some quotes, such as the ones about illusion 3. Was entertaining. 4. Some moments of heartwarming feeling of closeness/family within the circus.However, there was a lot more I didn't like. 1. The movie glamorizes the circus and the connection between the performers and the animals when in fact there's much more cruelty and sadness than is shown in this film. 2. Reese Witherspoon's acting was just terrible. Her voice, emotions, movements... everything about her was uninspiring. For instance, the way she said "darling" to August made me feel like she was reading off a script, and her facial expressions rarely changed in a significant or moving way. 3. Jacob didn't seem to have much personality. 4. Very childish and unbelievable in this film how Jacob and Marlena are willing to fight August and risk everything for their favorite/star animals, yet don't do anything at all when it comes to all the other animals or even the humans that are being mistreated even worse! Short-sighted actions and a sense that they are selective in their courageousness. 5. Scenes that were not believable, like when August makes Jacob/Marlena hug/touch each other in front of him... they both start to do it without August even threatening them except for speaking in an agitated tone! 6. Little to no chemistry between Marlena/Jacob. The only thing they have in common is pity for certain animals and are both typically attractive. 7. Framing of the story was too much like the Titanic. Also, the young man was weirdly curious/smiling the ENTIRE time, which also was not believable.

Set in the 1930s, a former veterinary student takes a job in a traveling circus and falls in love with the ringmaster's wife. Water For Elephants in my opinion is one of the most underrated films about love and animals that i feel people didn't get it's half a romance tale and the other half is a movie about a young teenager called Jacob played by Robert Pattinson who feels connected next to an elephant called Rosie but at the same time on that same Circus he fells in love with Marlena played by Reese Witherspoon who did a great job in this film and as always the villain is played by Christoph Waltz who gave an amazing performance just like the whole cast of this film. The movie also has a lot of beautiful shots and Hal Holbrook as an older Jacob was also a thing that worked perfectly telling the whole story and i found the ending to be very sad but then again i should have expected that to happen. Francis Lawrence is a great director and movies such as this totally shows that.

Water for Elephants (2011): Dir: Francis Lawrence / Cast: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz, Hal Holbrook, James Frain: The title is a reference to the calm after the storm. Taking us back to 1931 with narration by the aged hero with regards the the tragedy that unfolds. Hal Holbrook appears at the end of a circus performance. He left a home and tells of his life at the circus that brought romance, adventure and ultimately tragedy. His younger self is played by Robert Pattinson, whose parents die in a car accident while he was in college. With the bank seizing his home, he ends up aboard a train which is the circus travelling to another location. The ringmaster is a foul tempered man who abuses the animals and people alike. His wife is Marlena, the star attraction with a white horse is cut short when it suffers a bad hoof. Pattinson puts it down and nearly gets thrown from the train until the ringmaster brings in a new star attraction, an elephant. Directed by Francis Lawrence who previously made Constantine and I Am Legend. Pattinson holds strong in his willingness to protect others from the abuse of the ringmaster. Reese Witherspoon as Marlena is the star attraction whose act with a horse is replaced with Rosie the elephant. Christoph Waltz plays off the rage of the ringmaster who desires riches at any extent, but can see, as can we, Marlena's interest in Pattinson. Holbrook is the narrator who puts it in perspective. James Frain plays the elephant's caretaker, which is a step down for him in terms of career goals. Stunning production of the illusion and wonderment of the circus life. Score: 8 ½ / 10

So I was watching this last night on TV and well here is my review on it.Water For Elephants is a 2011 Romantic Drama starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. It tells the tale of this young man named Jacob(Twilight's Robert Pattinson) who's parents die and he is a young vet at the Circus where he helps animals that are sick or injured. But he later meets the beautiful Marlene(played by Walk The Line's Reese Witherspoon) and falls in love with her. But there is a problem as she is married to an evil brute (played by Inglorious Bastards Christoph Waltz)who is so rough with his animals he even attacks an elephant called Rosie and even a horse had to be put down. But as Marlene and Jacob's relationship grows closer and closer will Marlene ever leave her brute of a husband for Jacob?? The story to this was great and the setting was really nice as its a throwback to the 1930s era. The costumes were nice and the acting was great. I was a fan of Reese Witherspoon for a very long time and Robert Pattinson surprisingly very good in this movie as Jacob the handsome young vet who falls for Witherspoon's character. The relationship between the two was great too and you feel sorry for them especially Witherspoon's charcther marrying an evil brute who owns the circus.Overall its a 7/10 and if its on TV again i'll definitely be watching it again or if I find the DVD of it I will buy it.