Film: The Last Station

Cast includes: Helen Mirren (The Queen), Christopher Plummer
(A Beautiful Mind), James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland), Paul Giametti (Sideways)
Genre: Historic-based drama

In brief: Valentine Bulgakov is the perfect man for the job of Tolstoy’s private secretary… he’s a vegan and a virgin… a man who understands the principles of Tolstoy’s utopia… putting the welfare of mankind over the welfare of family, friends, lovers and self. “There are many enemies,” Chertkov warns Valentine as he sends him into the heart of the movement… the Tolstoy commune at Yasnaya Polyana. Valentine is to write down everything for Chertkov… who visits, what happens everyday and what the Countess says. But when Valentine arrives, he finds photographers and journalists everywhere. If you want to know what’s going on in Tolstoy’s world, all you really need to do is read the papers. Tolstoy has become a magnet for all those who seek to create a utopia in Russia… or say they do, anyway.

With sycophants everywhere, there’s only one person who hasn’t bought into the Tolstoy myth… Countess Sofya, Tolstoy’s wife. “You all think he’s Christ. He thinks he Christ!” She gives Valentine a present… a diary. “Write down what you see… what… you… see.” When Valentine actually sees what’s going on, he begins to question the purity and goodness of the movement. And when Chertkov shows up at the Tolstoy commune, we realize why Sofya is at odds with the movement. Tolstoy’s will is up for grabs, and Chertkov is pressuring Tolstoy to leave everything to the movement… for the welfare of mankind vs the welfare of family. Sofya is determined to block Chertkov.

The Last Station is a spirited and fun portrayal of Tolstoy’s last days. You don’t need to know anything about Tolstoy or Russian history to enjoy the drama that plays out in an attempt to lay claim to the old man’s wealth and legacy. If you’re looking for a deeply intellectual movie, The Last Station isn’t it. To say it’s a melodrama might imply that it’s an over-the-top, cheesy production. Yet melodrama is an appropriate description of this one. (I say that in the best sense of the word.) There’s nothing subtle about what the characters are trying to get or how they go about trying to get it. Add to that a production that’s stunningly beautiful, and this is a fun, enjoyable love story between a cantankerous old man and his feisty wife and soul mate of 48 years.

popcorn rating