Anna Karenina
User Score
6.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 78 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 78
  3. Negative: 10 out of 78

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  1. iamacritic
    Dec 28, 2012
    10
    While the movie was completely different than I expected, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a work of art rather than just any other movie. It was a true film! Wright executed the story perfectly and incorporated the personality of the time period of Russia perfectly. His approach put a wonderful spin on the film. With every passing second I felt like I was the most fortunate human alive to be watching such a masterpiece.… Expand
  2. amboy
    Nov 30, 2012
    10
    This adaptation of Tolstoy's novel is neither literal nor reverent--it is inspired. Using stage sets (the Maryinsky Theatre in Petersburg, I think) to represent the strictures of society and bureaucracy, the film allows its characters to break out only through passion (Anna and Vronsky) or dedication (Levin and Kitty). This method allows Stoppard (script) and Wright (direction) to serve Tolstoy's genius without suppressing their own. This could seem too schematic, but the actors bring it all to life. Beautiful, brilliant, unforgettable.… Expand
  3. Harmiclir
    Nov 22, 2012
    10
    Keira Knightley and Jude Law are extraordinary. Wright's unique and beautifully conceived version of the film, using Tom Stoppard's intelligent adaptation, struck me as perfect for rendering the depth and complexity of the story. The "artifice" of the setting, design and art direction are brought forth with sensitivity and satisfying wholeness. Highly, highly recommended for adults who want to participate in the construction of a wonderful film and story.… Expand
  4. tenney
    Nov 25, 2012
    9
    Wonderful idea in the filming of this A.K. and I really enjoyed something new to give me pause to think for a few moments if I liked it. Result! I loved it. If your not into change then don't see it as it will turn you upside down.
  5. foxgrove
    Dec 9, 2012
    9
    Visually sumptious - The production design and costumes are truly beautiful and the film does look a million dollars - this version of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina is a triumph. Imaginitively and boldly directed within a theatre setting, Joe Wright elicits a good performance from Keira Knightley (who always seems to walk a tightrope between good and bad in her films) and a scene stealing performance from Jude Law as her betrayed husband. Beautiful and underrated the film rewards an audience prepared to wait for the gradual unfolding. Knightley certainly gets better the longer she inhabits the character. Another plus is the lush music score by Dario Marianelli which quitely adds volumes to the atmosphere of what is taking place on screen.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
63 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 41 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 41
  3. Negative: 1 out of 41
  1. New Orleans Times-Picayune
    Reviewed by: Mike Scott
    Nov 30, 2012
    60
    That storytelling, however, is uneven, ranging from something approaching tedium to moments that are downright wonderful (such as the sweetest of scenes, involving two young lovers -- played by and Alicia Vikander and Domhnall Gleeson -- and a stack of children's blocks).
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  2. Charlotte Observer
    Reviewed by: Lawrence Toppman
    Nov 29, 2012
    50
    The arc of the 800-page novel, crammed into 130 minutes, becomes a line as flat as the heart monitor of a dead patient. A story that ought to possess the mad grandeur of an opera acquires the tedious regularity of soap opera.
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  3. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Connie Ogle
    Nov 29, 2012
    75
    Wright's film is visually stimulating to be sure, but he never loses sight of the raw human emotions that make Anna Karenina a classic.
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