"It's funny how people see me and treat me, since I'm really just a simple, boring person."When his only friend dies, a man born with dwarfism moves to rural New Jersey to live a life of solitude, only to meet a chatty hot dog vendor and a woman dealing with her own personal loss. REVIEW"The Station
Agent" manages to make the point that in the end, people are just people, and we can all get along if we make the attempt to get to know each other. It doesn't matter on size, shape, color or ethnic origin - we all have similar desires and goals, things that make us happy and things that make us sad. Left to himself, Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) would probably have been just as satisfied to live the life of a recluse, but darn it, someone like Joe Oramas (Bobby Cannavale) has to get in the way and be a pain in the neck about it. Which would be OK, if he didn't have to avoid getting run over a couple of times by a distracted Olivia Harris (Patricia Clarkson).Fin, Joe and Olivia are characters one can identify with; they can easily be part of one's own experience, although I don't come in contact with many dwarfs myself. But the dynamic going on in the picture transcends views of people as Cuban, black, divorcée, dwarf or pregnant librarian. It's a film about relationships and how those of diverse backgrounds can be there for one another when a bump in the road occurs. In this case, a bump in the right of way, but you get the idea.This film must have been in and out of local theaters before registering on anyone's radar. I only became aware of it by running across the DVD at my local library. I'm glad I did, and feel strangely compelled to recommend it to friends who most likely never heard of it either. Like the convenience store in the film, this one is 'Good to Go'.
September 1, 2011
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