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Movies / On DVD / The Station Agent
The Station Agent

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The Station Agent (2003)

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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.

Runtime: 88 mins

Genre: Dramas

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

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Reviews for The Station Agent

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141 - 155 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
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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

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
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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; UK critics are listed first)
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...

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