In the Back Row

with Allison McKinley © 2004

Film: The Station Agent
SenArt Films/Next Wednesday Productions
Miramax Films (Distributors)

Allison's review in ten words or fewer: The Station Agent is new in Allison's Top-Ten list.

Grade: A

Genre: Comedy, Drama
Awards: Sweep of Indies, Sundance
Rating (USA): R (for language and some drug use)
Runtime: 88 Minutes
Language(s): English
Budget: $500,000
Gross: $5.79 million
Special DVD Features: Audio commentary by actors and director

* * *

Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) likes trains. His life is trains, or so it would seem. He reads about trains and watches films about trains. He works in a model train shop for his friend Paul. Then Paul dies suddenly.

Thus, Fin inherits a piece of land in the outer reaches of New Jersey. After reading Paul's will to Fin, the lawyer says he has visited that part of the state and that there is nothing there.

That isn't quite so. Fin arrives on foot to find an old train depot with a sign that declares "Newfoundland" alongside an active train track. His inheritance includes the station, some acreage and several train cars.

To Fin, the rundown train station represents a sanctuary. Though he is approximately thirty years of age, Fin is only 4'6" tall. He has been teased all his life about his dwarfism. Trains are his escape.

While examining a few of the accoutrements of his new inheritance, Fin is greeted by a little neighbor girl, Cleo (Raven Goodwin).

"What grade are you in?" she asks, with all the innocence of her ten years.

Fin explains that he does not attend school, that he is the new owner of the train station.

Also there to greet Fin, and not as unobtrusive as the little girl, is Joe (Bobby Cannavale). Joe operates a hot dog and coffee stand from his father's truck that he parks right across from Fin's front door. As much as Fin seeks solitude, Joe seeks company. Joe's father is in the hospital with cancer. Joe is helping out.

The nearest village is about a mile from Fin's station, so one day he walks to town to buy a few necessities. Enter Olivia (Patricia Clarkson). Olivia often drives while her mind is on other things, and thus, she doesn't see Fin walking at the side of the road. Fin sees her Jeep Cherokee bearing down upon him, however, and jumps into the trees just in time to avoid almost certain death. Olivia stops and apologizes profusely. Fin is not impressed. He continues on his way, as does Olivia. She is headed out to see Joe for her morning café latte.

On her way back, Olivia spots Fin again. Hoping to drive with greater care this time, Olivia sets her café latte down beside her. Unfortunately, the lid pops off and scalding coffee drenches her butt. Again she nearly kills Fin.

Thus, we have been introduced to our protagonists and players.

Though he has acted in about ten films, this is Thomas McCarthy's debut as a writer/director. It is an impressive debut. He manages his cast and business with the aplomb of an old timer, and in my opinion with a much greater grasp of the process than Sofia Coppola in Lost In Translation. In The Station Agent we have a much tighter script and see a more even hand as the storytelling unfolds. Mr. McCarthy squeezes every drop from a stone-age budget of $500,000 and pulls classic performances from his actors.

McCarthy's script does not wallow in the melodramatic, nor does he lead us in the formulaic direction of a physical confrontation or any violence whatsoever. McCarthy's characters are here to fight their personal demons, not each other.

We find out, almost in passing, that Olivia has lost her son Sam, that her marriage is breaking up over it. We learn that Joe is afraid of losing his father and being left alone. And we see that Fin is literally afraid of his own shadow.

Yet, Olivia and Joe are attracted to Fin. So is Cleo, the little neighbour girl. So is the town's librarian. After Fin has attempted to borrow a book from the library, Emily (Michelle Williams) comes to visit him at the station. She tells Fin that she is pregnant. She asks if she can stay the night.

Fin's new friends see something in him that he has never allowed himself to see. Fin's new friends need someone strong to guide them. Can Fin find that in himself?

In addition to being a touching visit with some very loveable characters, The Station Agent may lead you to discover something new within yourself. Besides, it wraps with the cleverest ending I have ever seen in a film.

Treat yourself to The The Station Agent tonight.