Fin McBride is a content man. He lives in a bedsit close to his work and shares a love for all things 'train' with his landlord and boss. This makes his job in a model railway shop all the more satisfying for Fin as he is able to ignore the outside world and focus on his passion with like-minded friends and enthusiasts.
This was until his boss received a call from the big signal-box in the sky and left Fin with no work, no roof over his head and most distressingly alone.
You see Fin McBride is a dwarf (his words not mine) and his introverted world allows him to escape from the cowardice and abuse that is bestowed upon those that are different, by those that beleive themselves to be more fortunate.
The saviour for Fin here is the last will and testament that leaves him a property in Newfoundland, a distant rural district far away from the bright lights and big city. So bags packed and off we go.
The Station agent
was the man who kept the the railways on track. His office by the platform was where he ate, slept and spent most of his lifetime. He sold tickets, distributed mail and even offered haircuts! In a town such as Newfoundland though this was a story from a distant age. The passenger trains no longer stop here and freight trains only pass at a frequency of one every hour and twenty three minutes, so the office is ramshackle and redundant and now belongs to Fin.
Outside the agents office is the clapped out mobile hot-dog stand of 'Gorgeous Frank' a never seen aged Cuban excentric, who plies his trade by a railway where the trains never stop and with only one house within the nearest mile. Due to illness though Frank is not around and we are introduced to his madcap son Joe, with his inquisitive nature and deperation for human contact denied to him by his work (and now within his reach with the introduction of Fin to his world). Joe is a terrific character with his latino lilt and childish nature - think Hank Azaria in the birdcage or along came polly.
The last of the three major protagonists in this set-piece is Olivia a dipsy middle-aged blonde, clumsy but in need of love and attention. She is clinging onto sanity following the death of her child in a monkey-bar accident and the departure of her husband to female pastures new. She encounters Fin by nearly running him over twice in the matter of an hour - women drivers huh!
These three form an unlikely alliance as they come together to provide the warmth and friendship that each crave and to confront the demons that fate has dealt them.
This is as you can imagine a rather unlikely tale to make it on to the big screen, but believe me is very worthy of it's moment in the spotlight. This is a very heartfelt comedy drama with a moral message on excepting people for what they are, but is also very very funny with equal measures of slapstic, farce and incredibly dark humour.
Peter Dinklage plays Fin - and despite his size, walks head and shoulders above all others in the acting stakes. The character will never say two words when none will suffice and his self-mocking and razor sharp wit is fantastic.
Bobby Cannavale is Joe - a child trapped in an adult body and hugely enjoyable to watch as he latches on to Fin, as almost a big brother.
Patricia Clarkson is Olivia - and she gives us a range of contrasting emotions as her character teeters on the brink and is fantastically acted.
This movie will not be to all tastes, but never sets out to be offensive, only to highlight how people can be effected by prejudice and how true friendship can overcome most problems.
The Station Agent opens in the UK on March 26th 2004, and will likely only receive a limited release as this is not your big-budget American blockbuster.
At 90 minutes this is easy to watch and moves at a good pace keeping you hooked throughout.
If I had to have one grievance then it would be that the film quality wasn't great. The handheld camera seemed to drift out of focus on occassions and the sound at the start was a little on the quiet side. This could just be because this was an early print as this review is based on a preview showing last night.
My thanks to Stella Screen for the free ticket and the Stratford Picturehouse cinema for a great nights entertainment.
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Miramax Home Entertainment presents the critically acclaimed THE STATION AGENT, winner of ... more
numerous awards including the Audience Award for Best Drama at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. Fin McBride (Peter Dinklage), a loner with a passion for trains, i...
Fin McBride (Dinklage) a loner with a passion for trains inherits an abandoned train ... more
station in the middle of nowhere - a place that suits him just fine because all he wants is to be alone. Soon after moving in he discovers his isolated depot is mor...
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Advantages: Some of the characters, it might make you think, it gets more interesting near the end Disadvantages: The start of the movie, the story just isn't quite clear enough IMO, the main character
IzzyS 26.04.2009 (26.04.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Station Agent (DVD)
Advantages: A truly wonderful film that is heart-warming whilst having real depth and humour Disadvantages: Peter Dinklage hasn't had nearly enough work come his way for such a good actor
Advantages: A truly wonderful film that is heart-warming whilst having real depth and humour Disadvantages: Peter Dinklage hasn't had nearly enough work come his way for such a good actor
Advantages: Some of the characters, it might make you think, it gets more interesting near the end Disadvantages: The start of the movie, the story just isn't quite clear enough IMO, the main character
IzzyS 26.04.2009 (26.04.2009)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Station Agent (DVD)
![The Station Agent [DVD] [2004]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78503010.jpg "The Station Agent [DVD] [2004]")
Mar 18th, 2004
very helpful by (100%):
