Quick Info
The Last Station is a quietly intense historical drama about the final year in the life of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy. It's set just as Tolstoy becomes somewhat of a radical celebrity, torn between his ideals and the realities of his personal life, marriage, and followers. The film is intimate in scope, focusing largely on the tense, sometimes darkly comic relationship between Tolstoy, his wife Sofya, and those in their ideological orbit.
What really stood out to me is how human the film makes these historical legends feel. Helen Mirren is fantastic as Sofya—she's tempestuous and vulnerable, with a wit that makes you instantly empathize with her side of the story. Christopher Plummer's Tolstoy is both earnest and exasperating, a man torn between love and ideals, and their scenes together are honestly electric. Paul Giamatti and James McAvoy provide solid support, grounding the story further.
The movie is gorgeously shot, with the Russian countryside becoming its own character. There’s plenty of sunlight and mist, and you sense the biting cold just from the dim, cozy interiors. Director Michael Hoffman keeps things moving with a gentle pace—it never drags, but it also doesn’t rush, giving space for the emotional nuance to breathe.
If I had any complaint, it’s that sometimes the movie veers a little closely to the melodramatic, especially in how it sets up the various camps around Tolstoy. Some side characters feel a little thinly sketched, and the stakes, though emotional, aren’t always clear unless you’re already a bit familiar with Tolstoy’s philosophies or the period.
You would enjoy this if you like historical dramas that feel intimate rather than epic—something more about people and relationships than sweeping speeches. If you're a fan of strong performances and films that don’t mind a bit of moral ambiguity, this is definitely worth a watch. Good for fans of literary history or just anyone who likes a grown-up relationship drama.
