Oscar nominee 'The Last Station' revisits that 21st-century fixture, the celebrity deathwatch, in the days of Tolstoy
by Ron Wynn
A superb production about the final days of Leo Tolstoy, Michael Hoffman's The Last Station is neither solely about the origins of society's obsession with celebrities nor the perils of trying to love a great artist. But it explores both those issues with strength and conviction. Adapted from Jay Parini's 1990 novel, Hoffman's film spotlights the turmoil of a man attempting to stay true to his beliefs, while keenly aware that doing so means bringing pain to those who are more interested in him than in his assets or literary standing.
By the early 20th century, Tolstoy, played by Christopher Plummer, had become the world's most beloved and admired novelist, wealthy beyond imagination and the subject of boundless gossip and speculation. In the film, though, he has come to despise the shallowness he sees in being famous. He now preaches the virtues of the simple life, denouncing materialism and even shying away from intimacy. Those decisions alienate him from his devoted wife Sofya (Helen Mirren), who has been by his side for 48 years and is now mystified, unhappy and even occasionally outraged by his current behavior. Tolstoy's become a pacifist, vegetarian and moody recluse, aware that his end is near.
Squarely in the middle is the novelist's ardent admirer, confidant and advocate Vladimir Chertkov (Paul Giamatti), whose devotion has fueled the Tolstoyan movement. Anxious to ensure the accuracy of his idol's vision and achievements, Chertkov dispatches an eager, inexperienced Valentin Bulgakov (James McAvoy) to the couple's estate to serve as a combination private secretary and compiler of a diary about Tolstoy's final days — and to act essentially as his spy.
It's through Bulgakov's eyes that much of The Last Station unfolds, and the audience sees a couple raging against each other one moment and romping joyously in bed the next, reliving the passion they once enjoyed. Because Sofya was his muse and inspiration, Tolstoy still deeply loves her. But he's so embittered about much of his past that he continually tries to insulate himself against her — while Sofya, who's as protective of her husband's legacy as Chertkov, enlists Bulgakov's support herself in a project to chronicle her own diary and perspective, transforming the starstruck youth into a kind of domestic double agent.
It's a tricky balancing act that Hoffman attempts, juxtaposing the imposing public figure of a great man with the sometimes petty squabbles of his ordinary existence as mortality looms. He succeeds in large part because of Plummer and Mirren, both Oscar nominees for their work here. Neither over nor underplaying the complexities and idiosyncrasies of their characters, the well-matched actors make Tolstoy and Sofya convincing as historic figures who could nonetheless behave like feuding neighbors, in whatever moments of privacy they had. Though Giamatti's Chertkov initially seems mostly an overbearing, paranoid clod, the depth of his admiration and love for Tolstoy soon becomes clear, and by the end he's almost as sympathetic a figure as Sofya.
The specter of 100 journalists hanging out at Tolstoy's final destination, waiting to be first with the news of his demise, is now unfortunately a commonplace sight. With the household under siege by paparazzi prototypes, every word and phrase that comes out of Tolstoy's mouth winds up in someone's journalistic account, and this degree of non-stop scrutiny — and absurdity — only makes the film more riveting.
Now that the National Enquirer has been nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes, the Bizarro World elements The Last Station decries seem only too accurate. If the Tolstoy depicted in this film were alive, he'd be tossing cell phones in the river, avoiding cable and satellite TV, calling Facebook a travesty, and urging us to seek towns free of corporate domination. Celebrity deathwatches may be hot stuff, Hoffman suggests, but it's only the fame that dies and the work that lasts.
Email arts@nashvillescene.com.
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The Last Station
Official Site: www.sonyclassics.com/thelaststation
Director: Michael Hoffman
Writer: Michael Hoffman and Jay Parini
Producer: Bonnie Arnold, Chris Curling and Jens Meurer
Cast: James McAvoy, Christopher Plummer, Paul Giamatti, Helen Mirren, Anne-Marie Duff, Kerry Condon, Patrick Kennedy, John Sessions, Tomas Spencer and David Masterson
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