RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / The Station Agent
The Station Agent

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Station Agent (2003)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
95 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:145

Fresh:138

Rotten:7

Average Rating:8/10

Consensus: A sweet and quirky film about a dwarf, a refreshment stand operator, and a reclusive artist connecting with one another.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] language and some drug content

Runtime: 88 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Oct 3, 2003 Limited

Box Office: $5,502,491

Synopsis: When his friend and coworker suddenly dies, train enthusiast Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) inherits an abandoned railway station in rural New Jersey. A dwarf who avoids social contact whenever... When his friend and coworker suddenly dies, train enthusiast Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) inherits an abandoned railway station in rural New Jersey. A dwarf who avoids social contact whenever possible, Fin treks out to the property and moves in. However, his newly isolated life is disrupted by Joe (Bobby Cannavale), the outgoing operator of a roadside refreshment stand, and Olivia (Patricia Clarkson), a reclusive artist who is grieving the loss of her son. As Joe and Olivia slowly bring Fin out of his shell, all three people are affected by their newfound friendships. Written and directed by Thomas McCarthy, THE STATION AGENT wonderfully mixes drama and comedy in a beautiful countryside setting. Although the storyline acknowledges that the main character is a dwarf and refers to this on numerous occasions, there is much more to the character of Fin McBride than his short stature. As Fin, Dinklage gives an outstandingly nuanced performance, one that is perfectly complemented by Cannavale's happy-go-lucky Joe and Clarkson's mourning Olivia. The movie also features excellent supporting turns by Michelle Williams and Raven Goodwin. Touching but never sappy, THE STATION AGENT is a charming film that easily joins the ranks of other quirky rural dramas such as WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE? and THE STRAIGHT STORY. [More]

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Williams

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Williams, Raven Goodwin, Paul Benjamin, Richard Kind

Director: Tom McCarthy

Director: Tom McCarthy
Screenwriter: Tom McCarthy
Producer: Kathryn Tucker, Mary Jane Skalski, Robert May
Composer: Stephen Trask
Studio: Miramax Films

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • The Station Agent Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Jun 15, 2004

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • The Station Agent
  • Winner of 2003 Sundance Film Festival awards (Best Drama, Audience Award; Best Screenplay, Tom McCarthy; Best Performance, Patricia Clarkson), THE STATION AGENT stars Emmy Award winner Patricia Clarkson (TV's SIX FEET UNDER, FAR FROM HEAVEN), Peter Dinklage (ELF), and Bobby Cannavale (TV's 24, THIRD WATCH) in a comedy about friendship that will have you smiling long after the final credits. Fin McBride (Dinklage), a loner with a passion for trains, inherits an abandoned train station in the middle of nowhere -- a place that suits him just fine because all he wants is to be alone. But that is not to be. Soon after moving in, he discovers his isolated depot is more like Grand Central Station. There's Olivia (Clarkson), a distracted and troubled artist, and Joe (Cannavale), a friendly Cuban with an insatiable hunger for conversation. With absolutely nothing in common, they find their isolated lives coming together in a friendship none of them could foresee.
  • Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for The Station Agent

    • T-Meter Critics
    • Top Critics
    • RT Community
    • My Critics
    • My Friends
    • DVD
     
     
    141 - 155 (sorted by date)
    Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
    Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
     
     

    powerful film about the unspeakable awkwardness of life

    Full Review Source: Killer Movie Reviews | comment Comment
    10/01/03
    Andrea Chase
    Andrea Chase
    Killer Movie Reviews

    It's Dinklage who ensures that the film skirts mawkishness.

    Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
    09/30/03
    Laura Sinagra
    Laura Sinagra
    Village Voice

    It's something special.

    Full Review Source: Rolling Stone | comment Comment
    09/25/03
    Peter Travers
    Peter Travers
    Rolling Stone
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    McCarthy evokes the loneliness of Finbar’s life using simple stretches of silence and a series of long shots that call attention to the man’s small stature.

    Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
    09/19/03
    Ed Gonzalez
    Ed Gonzalez
    Slant Magazine

    Like many a Sundance film, The Station Agent is something less than its festival buzz, but it's an often-gratifying vehicle for several likeable and talented actors.

    Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
    09/16/03
    Kevin Lally
    Kevin Lally
    Film Journal International

    Thoughtful, not agonizingly lengthy, and extremely subtle without being pretentious; like Ulee's Gold, except with trains instead of bees.

    Full Review Source: Planet Sick-Boy | comment Comment
    09/15/03
    Jon Popick
    Jon Popick
    Planet Sick-Boy

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
    09/15/03
    Robin Clifford
    Robin Clifford
    Reeling Reviews

    This sweet tale of unlikely friendships is buoyed by the marvelous performances of its star triumvirate

    Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
    09/12/03
    Laura Clifford
    Laura Clifford
    Reeling Reviews

    The word 'lovely' comes to mind in assessing this intimate, character-driven piece about a man who tries to get away from people but finds to his luck that he cannot.

    Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
    08/19/03
    Harvey S. Karten
    Harvey S. Karten
    Compuserve

    In this good natured study of humanity, writer-director Tom McCarthy assembles a small group of such disparate characters and backgrounds you'd think he was trying to say something about the extreme social possibilities that thrive in America.

    Full Review Source: Cinema Signals | comment Comment
    08/15/03
    Jules Brenner
    Jules Brenner
    Cinema Signals

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
    06/14/03
    Erik Childress
    Erik Childress
    eFilmCritic.com

    Rarely has friendship -- honest, genuine friendship -- been portrayed so truthfully, with the gentle humor that belies real intimacy.

    Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
    04/27/03
    Annlee Ellingson
    Annlee Ellingson
    Boxoffice Magazine

    A masterful film and a bracing movie experience.

    Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
    02/26/03
    Duane Byrge
    Duane Byrge
    Hollywood Reporter

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | comment Comment
    02/26/03
    Eric D. Snider
    Eric D. Snider
    EricDSnider.com

    It is about treasuring life -- sometimes even cheating death -- and it manages to warm hearts in its own uncompromising way, rarely cheating and never belittling.

    Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
    02/26/03
    Tim Merrill
    Tim Merrill
    Film Threat
     
     
    141 - 155 (sorted by date)
    Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
    all

    Latest News for The Station Agent

    September 12, 2007: RTIndie: TIFF Acquisitions Include Controversial, Political Films
    This week in RTIndie, we have a roundup of the some key indie acquisitions from the Toronto Film festival. Also, our DVD Pick of the week spotlights the latest from a legend of... More...

    March 31, 2006: Dinklage to Play "Underdog" Villain
    Peter Dinklage, indie-centric actor best known for his work in "The Station Agent" and "Elf," has been tapped by Disney to play the villain in the studio's... More...

    See All

    More DVDs

    Close
    Top Rentals
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    15% 15% The Ugly Truth
    98% 98% Up
    36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
    52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
    45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

    More Rentals…

    New On DVD This Week
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    36% 36% Angels & Demons
    68% 68% Funny People
    25% 25% Four Christmases
    45% 45% Shorts

    More New Releases…

    See All

    RT On Current TV

    The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

    DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

    Learn how you can be part of the show

    More...

    What’s Hot On RT

    Total Recall

    Total Recall

    John Travolta's top reviewed movies

    Disney Countdown

    Disney Countdown

    Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

    RT's Gift Guide

    RT's Gift Guide

    Give the best movies, gear, and more!

    What's Coming Out

    What's Coming Out

    Find movies for the holiday weekend!

    Other News

    Close
    • Top Stories
    • Popular
    • Interviews
     
     

    Comments

     
     
    Top Stories
    Headlines Comments
      
    • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
    11
    • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
    26
    • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
    14
    • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
    34
    • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
    10
    • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
    1
    • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
    116
    • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
    112
    • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
    32
    • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
    64
    Popular
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
    176
    • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
    130
    • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
    75
    • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
    74
    • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
    58
    • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
    37
    • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
    32
    • WB offers DVD to Blu-ray Trade-In Program
    22
    • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Angels & Demons, Funny People, and Superman
    18
    • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
    15
    Interviews
    Headlines Comments
      
    • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
    13
    • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
    9
    • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
    19
    • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
    6
    • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
    15
    • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
    20
    • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
    8
    • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
    28
    • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
    28
    • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
    14
     
     

    Sponsored Links

    Around The Network

    • The Station Agent at Rotten Tomatoes
    • The Station Agent at IGN
    • The Station Agent at AskMen

    Fresh Links

    Featured
    Wes Anderson on Fox
    Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

    The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

    Animated Oscar?
    Animated Oscar? External Link

    Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

    TIME's Holiday Movie Preview
    TIME's Holiday Movie Preview External Link

    Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

    Scenic Routes
    Scenic Routes External Link

    The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.

    Promos
    Follow RT on Twitter
    Follow RT on Twitter External Link

    Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

     
     
    About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
    IGN Logo

    IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
    TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
    AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


    By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
    Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
    IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
    Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.