"Roads are for journeys, not destinations..."      

ANNA AND THE KING (PG-13)

Reviewed December 18, 1999 - Check out the Anna and the King Website.

Studio Synopsis: English schoolteacher Anna Leonowens (Jodie Foster) has done something that women of the Victorian age simply never do: The young widow has traveled thousands of miles with her son to a land that is largely unknown to the Western world. She arrives in Siam with adventure in her eyes and a Siamese primer in her hand. Whatever awaits her in this strange new world, there is no turning back. Anna has been employed to educate the king’s fifty-eight children. She knows very little of King Mongkut (Chow Yun-Fat), apart from the fact that his people revere him as a god. She brings with her an ‘East vs. West’ prejudice against the king, considering him to be uncivilized. She soon realizes that her views are more than matched by the ruler’s own preconceptions about the West and particularly this impertinent English woman. But over time, Anna and the King share a growing connection. Anna discovers that Mongkut is a true man of vision who is leading Siam to take its place among the nations of the modern world. And the King recognizes that Anna has shined a light not only on him and his family, but on Siam itself.

Fuzzydog Review: Directed by Andy Tennant (Ever After, Fools Rush In), Anna and the King tells more or less the same story as 1956's The King and I...except without all the musical numbers.  With Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat in the lead roles, however, what Anna and the King loses in musical entertainment, it gains back mightily in sheer dramatic scope.  Purely and simply, this is a film that feels truly epic in scale, with wonderful performances, sweeping cinematography and a compelling musical score that will grab your attention. 

That Jodie Foster is excellent in her role as Anna Leonowens should be of no surprise to anyone; what may surprise some, however, is the commanding and amazingly self-assured performance of Chow Yun-Fat, whose on-screen presence comes through in absolutely magnetic fashion.  Call it sparkle, call it charisma...whatever it is that Chow Yun-Fat brings to this role, it works...and it makes for a truly compelling moviegoing experience.  There are many moments of genuine humor, wonder, sadness and excitement sprinkled throughout this film, and it is truly one of the pleasant surprises of this holiday movie season.  Nuff said?  Think so...this film is almost worth seeing for its cinematography alone, but when you throw in the fine performances and engaging storytelling style, then it more than deserves a recommendation... :-)

Responses from cyberspace...thanks for writing!

Lill gives this movie  stars: "Absolutely MAGNUM is Chow Yun Fat,whom (in my magnum ignorance) I had never heard of before I saw this film. Never mind the engaging children, the awesome, sumptuous epic edge, the color and subtle, detailed texture of the tapestry woven by Andy Tennant and occasionally by Foster; never mind the exotica, the costumes and the fact that I was sorely disappointed that this movie ended so soon. It's the dark, cool, elegant, sensitive, consumate actor, The Chowster that pins this movie together. And what a star-pin that man is. This shouldn't rate a 5 *****. It should rate a ********** !!" (2/22/00)