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Reviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
THE STATION AGENT
Just connect: three disparate lonely people in a small New Jersey town, after a bumpy
start, form a bond. At four feet and five inches, Finbar McBride (Dinklage), is “one of
those memorable people.” The daily ritual of being the butt of jokes (“It’s f------
Mini-Me”) or being treated as an odd curiosity has left him feeling more than a little
defensive. Inheriting an abandoned train depot, he just wants the peace of being left
alone. But Joe Oramas (Cannavale), who runs a coffee stand across the yard (seemingly
in the middle of nowhere), persists in being his friend, like the little engine that could.
And walking along a leafy lane, Finbar meets another neighbor, Olivia (Clarkson), when
she almost runs him over with her car. The film itself would have been, like the
townspeople, patronizing but well meaning if not for unsentimental role of Finbar, who at
times is abrasively angry. Intriguingly, the script leaves open the question of his feelings
for the divorced Olivia and the town’s pretty librarian (Williams). The Station
Agent works best in the unguarded, relaxed moments between Finbar, Joe, and Olivia.
Cannavale charmingly ingratiates himself, and Clarkson brings both fragility and
steeliness. When she’s deep in her thoughts, laughing at her own jokes, it’s as if she has
her own movie running in her head. However, the film’s several in-your-face
melodramatic moments are forced, coming out of nowhere - the few maudlin moments in
an otherwise amiable film. As comforting, a bit hokey, and predictable as a CBS
Sunday Night Movie, this intimate film should play well on television. Kent Turner
DVD Extras: The audio commentary is an enjoyable and fitting companion to the movie. The
actors are very similar to their on-screen counterparts; Peter Dinklage
sounds just as cool being himself, Patricia Clarkson as classy, and
Bobby Cannavale as amusing. They share an easy rapport with one another,
mixing teasing humor and a genuine appreciation for each others talents. In
addition to the levity, they give much due credit to the actors who had
smaller, yet equally well-crafted performances, such as
Michelle Williams and the child-actress Raven Goodwin. They also never
fail to thank the many individuals who loaned equipment or their talent for
this very, very low-budget picture. The deleted scenes are all extremely short, which makes sense
considering how compact and straightforward the movie is to begin with.
But one scene, originally to be the film's ending, is worth checking out. Michael Fisher
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