Hey folks, Harry here... been getting a lot of reviews of this one recently, but this is the best of the bunch... leave it to ol "Quiz Kid" to nail it, but then he's got the keys to all the best flicks. This is another film that'll be crippled by the ludicrous policy of Jack Valenti...
“Quiz Kid” Donnie Smith’s “The Station Agent” Review
Where and When: I saw “The Station Agent” on Monday September 8th at 8:30 P.M. at the Uptown 2 theatre. The film’s director (Tom McCarthy) and three stars (Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson and Bobby Cannavale) were in attendance. When the film concluded, it received a standing ovation from the entire audience. Out of the fifty films I saw at the festival, this only happened twice. The other film was the “Revolution Will Not be Televised”. There was a semi interesting Q&A after the film with most of the questions congratulating the filmmakers and actors for a job well done. The funniest moment came when someone asked the actors what they had coming up next. With a wry smile, Peter Dinklage (a dwarf) said his next film was “Elf”. Some of you may have already seen him without knowing it if you caught the new “Elf” trailer. He’s the guy referred to as an angry elf by star Will Ferrell.
For Those Who Came in Late: “The Station Agent” tells the story of a man who loves trains but avoids personal relationships. When his only friend dies, he’s left an abandoned railway station house in New Jersey. There, he meets up with some of the townsfolk who are all lonely and isolated in their own way, and he slowly begins to reconnect with the world.
Non-spoiler Verdict: “The Station Agent” is a gem of a movie. It overcomes a premise that sounds a little mawkish and sentimental, and evokes genuine and well-earned emotion and laughter throughout its 90 minute running time. This is at heart a character study, and all three leads are marvelous, creating intricate portraits of lonely people who grow and change because of the effect they have on one another. “The Station Agent” is a perfect example of why I see 200 movies a year. On the surface, it looks like a movie that is eminently skippable, one that’s been done 100 times before. Instead, it’s a unique work of art that leaves you walking out of the theater feeling good. It doesn’t get any better than that.
In my review system [which includes 1.walked out. 2.should have walked out 3. vaguely enjoyable 4.good movie but not worth multiple viewings 5.excellent film-mulling over buying it 6. will buy it and watch again and again) “The Station Agent” receives a six rating. It’s definitely part of my cinematic universe.
O.K. the non-spoiler section is over. The next few sections will give away more and more plot points so it’s a good time to leave now until you’ve seen the movie.
Movie review and analysis:
Let’s get this out of the way. Peter Dinklage is a dwarf; thus his character Finnbar McBride is one as well. This is dealt with in the movie, but it is not a key component. And thanks to the Dinklage’s multi-layered performance, it isn’t even an issue. What is relevant is that Finnbar is a reclusive man who has pretty much shut out the rest of the world. His only social activity is meeting with other people who share his passion (trains) to watch footage they have taken of trains as they trailed them in cars and trucks. They call it train chasing. (Think of train chasing as storm chasing without the wind.) Even here, Finnbar has little to say to anyone except to Paul Benjamin (his boss at a train model shop where he works). He is a man who was decided that life is something he wishes to go through alone.
When Paul Benjamin dies, the shop where Finnbar works is shut down. Benjamin leaves Finnbar a deserted railway station in New Jersey and Finnbar moves into the place. The station is literally in the middle of nowhere, on the outskirts of a small rural town. This is just fine with Finn who pretty much plans to ramble around the area looking at abandoned trains while setting up as a hermit.
Fate, however, has a different idea. Finn meets up with a coffee vendor named Joe (Bobby Cannavale) who has a stand right outside Finn’s station. Joe takes an immediate shine to Finn, and a lot of the humor early in the film comes from Joe’s determination to strike up a friendship with Finn despite Finns not too subtle suggestions that he just wants to be left alone. Joe is hysterically funny, endearingly annoying, and, in his own way, very lonely. It’s amazing to see a movie create a relationship between a big strapping guy and a dwarf where the big guy absolutely idolizes his smaller comrade.
Finnbar also meets up with Olivia (Patricia Clarkson, who seems to be showing up everywhere these days)thanks to a hilarious near accident and the encouragement of Joe. Olivia is a little more open than Finn, but she too has retreated to the countryside to escape her past and to avoid the future. While not as obvious about it as Finnbar, she wants to retreat from life and be an invisible, anonymous person just as much.
The joy of this movie is watching the effect that these three characters have on one another to allow them to rejoin life. It’s also a reminder that no matter how isolated we may sometimes become, there will always be times when we will be tugged at and invited back into life by others. In this way, “The Station Agent” reminded me quite a bit of “As Good As It Gets”. In that film, Cuba Gooding sums up the plot when he says “First there was the dog. Now there are other things.” And its true. Nicholson wanted to be left alone, but circumstances pulled him back in. First he felt for a dog. Then he felt for the waitress he always took for granted and the gay neighbor he previously despised. Here, the persistent Joe and the multi-layered Olivia draw Finn back into life where there are indeed others waiting. Suddenly, there’s a young girl who likes trains (Raven Good win) and a pretty young librarian (Michelle Williams, in a small but extremely appealing performance) who just might be a romantic interest for him.
And that’s the movie. There are no big moments. No corny and unbelievable plot twists. Nobody suddenly contracts a fatal disease and dies. This is simply a film that has enough faith that its central characters can carry an audience along with them on their own charms. This is a leap of faith for many audiences these days, but it is one well worth taking.
I can’t say enough here about the three central performances. Peter Dinklage portrays his character’s loneliness and pain with very few words. One can only hope that he will get other parts as meaty as this in his career and not be stuck doing variations on his role in “Elf”. Patricia Clarkson is a wonder here, continuing the roll she’s been on in the past years in movies like “The Green Mile and “Far From Heaven”. She plays her character close to the vest, unwrapping layer after layer until her pain is clear for everyone to see. As good as they are, my favorite here may be Bobby Cannavale’s Joe. He creates a character here that rivals Jason Schwartzbaum’s Max Fischer for eccentricity, spirit, humor, and depth. (Believe me, this is high praise for me. Rushmore was my favorite movie of 1998.) While initially annoying, Joe is really the glue that keeps the trio together. Cannavale finds the humor of the character but also lets us see why these new friendships are so important to this seemingly much more outgoing guy. A wonderful performance.
So emulate the characters. Go out there and take a chance on this small but substantial treasure and see why it won the Audience Award at Sundance.
And, as always, whether you loved it or hated it, let me hear from you in the talkbacks. That’s what it’s all about.
Problems: I had no significant problems with this film. I can see the marketing people having a bit of trouble with this one for reasons I’ve already enumerated, so word of mouth will be important in keeping this one afloat and getting it out all over the country.
Donnie’s Time Capsule:
1.The hilarious way Olivia and Finnbar meet. Poor Finn is walking along the road when he’s nearly run down by Olivia twice (first as she goes to town and then as she returns). The way Dinklage plays the embarrassment his character feels here is priceless.
2.Joe’s efforts to communicate with Finn early in the film. This is truly the definition of a one sided conversation.
3.Joe and Finnbar go train chasing with a video camera. At the Q&A, director, Tom McCarthy jokingly called this the movie’s big action set piece. There’s a delightful exuberance to it and it actually looks like something that might be fun to try… once.
4.Finnbar’s funny and tender encounters with Michelle William’s librarian character late in the film. I’ve never been a William’s fan but she does very strong work here.
5.Watching Olivia pull away from the friendship of Joe and Finn. Clarkson does a great job of bringing her characters inner pain to the fore, while the scenes give Finn a chance to go full circle from a character who needs to return to life to one who is trying to do the same for someone else.
Before the quiz, I can’t resist a brief mention of two movies that I saw at Toronto which are currently playing in theaters. As they have been covered extensively on this site, a full review would be redundant, but I can’t resist adding my kudos to the general acclaim they’re already receiving.
“Lost in Translation,” is a true rarity: An extremely hilarious comedy with depth and soul. While I still think “Rushmore” is the pinnacle of his career thus far, “Lost in Translation” stands close behind it. If there’s any justice in the world, Murray will receive the academy nomination he should’ve gotten five years ago. Needless to say this film easily earns a six on my rating scale, and I will treasure each viewing for years to come.
Another six is “School of Rock”. Jack Black in this and Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean” should share this year’s perfect casting award. There is literally nobody that I can picture doing a better job than these two in these parts. This movie is pure fun right from the start to the very end of the end credits. It’s obvious that everyone involved had a blast making this film and the energy carries over to the audience.
This was evident at the gala premiere I attended in Toronto. Because Richard Linklater was away, Jack Black handled the introductions and he threw himself into the job with gusto. When it was time to announce five of the kids who were attending the premiere, he treated the intro as if he were bringing out a real live rock band. Each separate intro was hilarious and really got the audience fired up for the movie. He finished by saying that their goal was to make a really good kids movie for a change like the ones we all remember when we were young. In my mind he’s certainly accomplished that.
Please! Please! Let this movie make as much or more the “Daddy Day Care” and keep worldwide Armageddon at bay.
Look into the eyes of Dr. Diablo. See these three movies ASAP!
Donnie’s Quiz: I’m going to include a short quiz with each review I write. The quiz today deals with riddles and puzzles actually asked in movies. Your job is to answer the question as well as name the movie the puzzle or riddle appeared in.
1.Who is the killer in the first Friday the thirteenth movie?
2.What was the winner for best picture in 1955?
3.You’re in a room with an all southern view. A bear walks by. What color is it?
4.What name is an anagram of Steven Marcato?
5.The following is an answer to a question. Jean-Batiste Poquelin Moliere. What character answered it correctly for what show in what movie?
6.To go full circle, look at my Doctor Diablo quote above. What film am I referencing?
That wraps up the review and quiz. Thanks again for reading. Let me hear from you in the talkbacks. And remember, before you write anything too abusive or harsh, “I cry you mercy,” to quote Richard the Third.
This is “Quiz Kid” Donnie Smith signing off. And remember. Michael Bay is the anti Christ.
