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The Station Agent | Classification: Comedy Directed: - Thomas McCarthy Actors/Actresses: - Peter Dinklage - Bobby Cannavale - Patricia Clarkson A perfect slice of life. Tom McCarthy's "The Station Agent" is the sort of movie that--if it even gets made in America--seldom makes it past the festival circuit to a wider audience. That "The Station Agent" did so is an unexpected and delightful surprise. This gentle, poignant film--which unfolds like a perfectly wrought short story--tells the tale of Fin (Peter Dinklage), a four-foot five-inch, thirtysomething guy who works in a model train store and has a lifelong fascination with trains. Used to the mockery of those around him, he lives devoid of human contact other than his sympathetic boss and a few fellow train enthusiasts. When his boss dies, he leaves Fin a decrepit train depot in a rural part of New Jersey; Fin, having no other place that will take him in, goes to the depot to live. There, almost against his will, he begins to establish contact with a few of the local residents, including two who in their own ways are as lonely as Fin: Joe (Bobby Cannavale), a convivial, motormouth hot dog vendor saddled with a chronically ill father, and Olivia (Patricia Clarkson), an eccentric artist grieving over the loss of her small son and her bitter estrangement from her husband. How Fin, Joe and Olivia slowly, clumsily discover their common bonds forms the main story of "The Station Agent." It's scarcely an earth-shattering story, and the low budget is always evident; yet "The Station Agent" never puts a foot wrong. The story and dialogue continually offer small, revealing surprises about the characters, and the performances of Dinklage, Clarkson and Cannavale are exquisitely natural and unaffected. "The Station Agent" is a movie most people will probably never hear of, but those who see it will cherish it. A great film; highly recommended! A man born with dwarfism (Peter Dinklage) retreats from society and becomes a loner. He has a fascination for trains and after he inherits an abandoned train depot in New Jersey, he's forced to come to terms with his shy nature, and in the process meets up with two other like-minded loners, an artist (Patricia Clarkson) struggling with the death of her son, and a friendly hot dog vendor (Bobby Cannavale) who hungers to share his love of food. What makes THE STATION AGENT a better-than-average film is that the three characters are portrayed in such a realistic and complex manner. Each character has rough edges as they constantly deal with their problems. While Cannavale's character is the least developed of the three he does succeed in adding much laughter to the plot. His interactions with the other two characters are well written and funny. Watching this film was a real treat. Enjoy! Charming, Subtle Piece A very charming charcter study, indeed. Our dwarf friend, Fin, inherits an abandoned train depot, in Newfoundland, NJ, and so goes there to retire and live almost as a hermit. Against his will, he forms a strange sort of bond with a frustrated artist, whose son has recently died, and whose husband has left her cold, and a jovial, outspoken Cuban hotdog/cafe con leche vendor who sells right in front of Fin's depot. <BR>There isn't much plot, but the somewhat dark/dry humor combined with the fine acting and the slow unveiling of the characters make for an entertaining flick, which should stick with you for a few days. Buy The Station Agent at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on The Station Agent Search with the Priority Search Engine on The Station Agent This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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