Station Agent (movie review)
Cryptohedonological rating: A-
Station agent is a quiet, independent film directed by Thomas McCarthy which explores how three very different characters cope with loss. Each overcomes inherent barriers due to personality and circumstance. Fin, played by the brilliant and charismatic Peter Dinklage, is a dwarf, accustomed to a life of routine and solitude. He openly wonders why people find him such a distraction while he is, in his own words, just an ordinary, boring person. He has a passion for trains and model building, and works for his friend at a train shop. When his friend dies, he leaves Fin a piece of property with a an old train depot on it in rural Newfoundland, New Jersey. With nothing left, Fin makes the journey to his new town and begins adjusting to his new life, living in the small train depot. Joe and Olivia are also immigrants to Newfoundland. They are awkward transplants setting for their own reasons. Joe, a brash New Yorker, is there to take care of his dying father while Olivia is coping with a broken marriage. The story takes us calmly through the intersection of these three quirky characters and explores how people can start again and how people find a balance between being what they are and accepting where they are going. If I had to summarize the themes and messages of the film through cliches and mixed metaphors: it is hard to be a fish out of water, even as an adult; don’t judge a book by its cover. I laughed, I cried. Yadda yadda yadda. Check it out.