This film was
directed by Thomas McCarthy, whom you might remember as
the husband to be in "Meet the Parents", or a
first season star of the series "Boston Public".
I would have never imagined him as a director, much less
one of such immense talent and distinct vision. With
"The Station Agent", McCarthy has crafted,
possibly, the best film of the year and one of the most
straight forward looks at dwarfism ever brought forth.
This picture is simply amazing.
Imbedded in the heart of "The Station Agent" are
three lonely souls who come together and offer one another
relief. Peter Dinklage is the star, as Finbar, a
dwarf who inherits an abandoned train station when the man
he works for and only friend in the world drops dead.
He moves there immediately, where he is immediately
pursued by Joe Oramas (Bobby Cannavale), the operator of a
roadside coffee wagon positioned on a road where no one
ever goes. Oramas seems desperate for Finbar to
accept him, and does not take no for an answer.
Enter Olivia Harris (Patricia Clarkson), who is going
through a divorce and in constant grief over the death of
her child. Michelle Williams co-stars as Emily, a
librarian who wants Finbar for his body.
Dinklage, Cannavale, and Clarkson shine throughout.
All three deserve Oscar nods, and all three deliver
performances of any career. There is one scene if
intensity in which Dinklage is being tormented in a bar
and then stands on a table, shouting, "Here I am!
Look at me!" I think everyone in the theatre
was in tears. And, there are also some heartwarming
scenes between Dinklage and Clarkson, and we can just see
her grief spilling out on screen. She is one of the
best actresses around today. And, Cannavale just
lights up the screen with energy and excitement.
I never felt cheated while watching "The Station
Agent". Much of the time, I considered it to be
more a film about finding happiness than a film about a
dwarf, which I assume is what most people think it is
about. You can't think of it like that, or you might
lose some of the heart and some of the message. This
is a film about how three lonely people find one another
and turn their lives around, one moment at a time.
"The Station Agent" is a mesmerizing piece of
cinema that features a brilliant cast, a superb first time
director, and one of the best meanings of any film this
year. There is no doubt that this one will land on
my end of the year list, and I just hope it receives
enough press and acclaim to warrant some Oscar
consideration because it certainly deserves that, and
much, much more. Go and see this miraculous film
before it leaves theatres -- it will remind you of what
good movies are all about.
