Flashback to a young Jacob, played by The Twilight Saga’s Robert Pattinson, who is a college student in 1931 about to take his final exam so he can become a veterinarian. But after a traumatic car crash leaves him orphaned and homeless, Jacob hits the road, but on the wrong side of the tracks. After hopping on a random train with great difficulty and almost getting thrown off, Jacob finds himself along the cherry-red train cars of the Benzini Bros. traveling circus. He is given a job as the circus vet and the real adventure begins.

Jacob begins a heated affair with Marlena, (played by Academy Award-winner Reese Witherspoon).  Marlena, the beautiful horse trainer, is married to August, the ring-leader, the head honcho in the top hat and shiny red jacket, the guy who calls all the shots.  August, played by Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds) is a charismatic but paranoid man, worried about his wife and the downfall of the entire company. Marlena and Jacob come together against all odds – injury, crazed husbands, stampedes, and wild Prohibition raids of the Great Depression raging outside their freight train. But this story is more then just romance.

This story, originally based off Sara Gruen’s book of the same name, is about love in all of its purest forms. The love between a man and a woman, and between friendswho bond over whisky, hatred for their rivals, Ringling Bros., and horse manure stories.  But most importantly, the love between humans and animals, who are the real stars in this movie. Rosie, played by the beautiful elephant Thai, has the most important and comical role. Your heart aches for her and the beautiful white stallion Silver Star throughout the movie when they are in pain. She and the other magnificent creatures of the idealistic circus – horses, lions, and monkeys, oh my – are what bring the compassionate Marlena and Jacob together. This movie is like the most perfect day at the circus, without the incredible amount of creepy clowns. All you want to do is grab some cotton candy and take a seat. It has all of the components of the ideal circus fantasy of the 1930’s, like bearded ladies, 800 pound women, wild African cats, midgets, trapeze acts, and fire-breathing men.

For those of you who read the book, the sad aspect is the changes made to Marlena, like her history. There were even girls complaining in the theatre about how they changed the color of her hair. Present-day Jacob is now alone in a nursing home, arguing with nurses and complaining about applesauce and adult diapers. The book version had Titanic-like alternating view points between the old and the young Jacob. In the movie, however, the old Grandpa version kicks off the movie, but then disappears for the rest of the film. But other than that, the movie stays true to the book, through and through, right down to the Marlena’s complaining about stretching her silk tights. For you Twi-Hards, seeing Edward Cullen in a whole new light is magical in itself, much different from his mediocre acting in the Twilight Saga, his super shiny Volvo, and his sparkling skin. But this change is welcomed with open arms.

Pattinson, Witherspoon, and Waltz are an allstar cast, with subtle comedy that makes it a really well-rounded movie. Romance, action (seeing as how Jacob gets beat up every ten minutes), animals, comedy, and family. Like they say, sometimes life is the most spectacular show on Earth, especially when they deliver movies like this one.

Water for Elephants is rated PG-13.