User Reviews

"The Station Agent" is a slice-of-dwarf-life character study which takes a long, hard look at little person Fin (Dinklage), a train buff who inherits an old, inactive train depot where he takes up residence and then becomes involved with the locals. This poignancy packed flick spends its full 88 minute run with a sometimes cheeky, sometimes plaintive and always human development a handful characters who all have problems of their own. An extraordinary first outing for writer/director McCarthy, this little indie received raves from critical corners and applause from the public at large making it an almost sure thing for potential viewers. A wonderful film which makes the point that size does matter when it's size of character and not stature. (A-)

The Station Agent is one of those films where there doesn't seem to be much in the way, at least in conventional terms, of a story being told without dubious circumstance. Whoever Finbar- Fin (Peter Dinklage, in a mostly low-key, appropriately observant performance) meets in the small town of Newfoundland, NJ will either be at some degree of a friend to him, or someone who passes him by and scoffs at his apparent height of four foot five inches. The way writer/director Thomas McCarthey has characters interact with each other is also rewarding, since they come off as solid and believable to their situations (the life-affirming Joe, the sweet and lonely Olivia, the little fascinated girl Cleo, and the young, sexy Emily). And at the same time he doesn't lose sight of the center of the film, which is the obsession with trains. It's a wonderful motif to have with these characters- most especially for Fin- who don't seem to go anywhere much, and are content to watch them go by as they stay put in the town. By the end I felt like I saw a heart-warming comedy, despite the sad moments, as it went for a more human side to actions and dialog, instead of a 'slapstick-because-there's-a-dwarf' ideal to comedies. Fin is a person, and we're given him as a uniquely empathetic persona in Dinklage's performance. A-

A story about a man with dwarfism who's hobby is trainspotting doesn't sound like an inspiring tale, but the Station Agent is a remarkable achievement in making it just that. Relocating to a fairly remote area where he has inherited some property, the main character becomes very popular - not because of his cute dwarfism, but because he exhibits an inner strength that enables people to eventually see past his physical deformity. Superb acting by all the cast, and wonderful contrasts between their inner lives and the outer personas they use to deal with the everyday superficialities of the world (including meeting new people). The film is beautiful, uplifting, realistic, without ever becoming cheesy or moralising. A joy to behold.

So much to say, so little time...

The Station Agent came along and reminded me how movie making should be. Simple, natural, humane. At first, I hesitated to watch it because films about "less fortunate people" tend to get cheesy and try too hard to make you shed a tear. People only praise them because they feel sorry for the main character... but this time you won't get any of that gratuitous sentimentality.

In my opinion, the movie's greatest quality is that it never insists in pointing out the obvious (that life is unfair), instead it shows you the interior journey of the three main characters towards acceptance/understanding of their condition/situation. All made possible by the perfectly natural performances of these wonderful actors. You know what they think and feel without them having to say "deep" things like people in most artsy pictures do. All the magic is in the normal, everyday details, subtle gestures, filmed with a lot of good taste and without the use of cute or overly dramatic elements. The soundtrack fits like a glove with slow, bitter-sweet guitar tunes that feel fresh and create a sensible, warm mood.

Experiencing this film is worth so much more than all the soulless excitement and drama we're usually treated with. I've watched it a lot of times and I appreciated it more and more with each viewing. The characters are more real to me than a lot of fake people I know. I also warmly recommend The Straight Story if you like to walk away from movies with more than you came in.

I have never commented on any database about anything until now.

I wanted to find out more about the cast and Google raised this DB; I was delighted to see the customer comment facility. Reading a selection of comments I was astonished to find how much uniformity there was. Many of us seem to have had a similar experience.

I have seen the film twice. I enjoyed it so much that I thought perhaps it was because I was in the right mood and it would not stand scrutiny a second time. I enjoyed it, if anything, more on the second occasion. On both occasions when the film ended there was an audible groan of dismay from the audience that it finished long before they were ready.

It has not had a wide circulation in England and I have been a one man promotional bore encouraging friends to go to see it.

I thought that Lost in Translation would be my favourite of the last few years but it has been pushed out of the top slot.

I am surprise at a few of the comments from other contributors. "what is a coffee wagon doing in such a place", "poor script for Patricia Clarkson" etc.

For me the script, photography, acting, cutting and casting were perfect. Only one complaint- too short.

It is hard to pick the best performance and I will certainly change my mind next time I ask myself, but today I would go for Bobby Cannavale.

Geoff Livesey

There's an almost documentary quality to the way the lives of three disparate strangers are shown interacting and gradually bonding in THE STATION AGENT. The principal character is the dwarf (PETER DINKLAGE) who is living in an abandoned train station, trying desperately to find some peace and contentment away from prying eyes and nosy neighbors. His nearest neighbor is a Cuban hot dog vendor (BOBBY CANNAVALE), open and friendly and basically good-hearted, who, unfortunately likes to chat a lot with anyone within earshot. And the third character is a lonely woman (PATRICIA CLARKSON) with mysterious mood swings who sometimes wants to be alone, much to the consternation of her new friends who are concerned about her welfare.

What plot there is (very little) is concerned with the interaction in a series of well observed moments where they seem to be fumbling toward a healthy set of relationships. The film is more a character study of these people than a well structured story, but the dialog is so fresh and truthful that the incidents come alive and you're kept wondering what fate has in store for these offbeat characters.

Quirky, but with a refreshing sort of charm in the telling--all of it nicely photographed and well written and directed by Thomas McCarthy.

Worth seeing, it's an independent film that won several awards for the director and the principal players.

A silent retired dwarf with odd hobbies, a babbling Hispanic lorry-café worker with sick father, a separated female artist with family issues - all lonely in different ways, getting together in a small sleepy township. Formation of friendship is not easy, has its ups and downs, as all three are totally different, plus, for a long time, there is no big event to boost their relationship. Of course, such crumble contacts would have bright and comic moments - I giggled many times, although it is no comedy, rather a sad and romantic drama without erotic inclinations.

And the cast is strong and fine, beginning with Peter Dinklage as Finbar McBride, Patricia Clarkson as Olivia Harris and Bobby Cannavale as Joe Oramas - all great characters and performances... A real masterpiece, beyond mainstream stuff, and leading the way to see other movies with the participation of the actors mentioned.

When his only friend dies, a man born with dwarfism (Peter Dinklage) moves to rural New Jersey to live a life of solitude, only to meet a chatty hot dog vendor (Bobby Cannavale) and a woman dealing with her own personal loss (Patricia Clarkson).

Although I wish Michelle Williams had a bigger role, this is the very idea of everything an independent film should be. Not only funny, but a film that expresses the best parts of humanity.

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone said, "Tom McCarthy has a gift for funny and touching nuances ... The three actors could not be better. Huge feelings are packed into this small, fragile movie. It's something special." I completely agree.

The Station Agent is a movie about friendship and disability. I don't mean the obvious, but the the underlying fact that we all have a disability of some shape or fashion and that sometimes draws people together and can make for satisfying friendships when those disabilities are cast aside.

Peter Dinklage is outstanding as Finbar McBride, who inherited a train station and just wanted to hide. Unfortunately, or fortunately, Joe (Bobby Cannavale) is the irritatingly persistent sort that is looking for friendship and cracks the shell that Fin is trying to use to protect himself. They hook up with Olivia (Patricia Clarkson), who is hiding after the death of her son.

The three become friends and help each other through life's difficulties. Three outstanding performances that will have you assessing your relationships in a new light.

You know quirky often means weird, right? 'Specially when it comes to films - and Indie American ones...

Station Agent is interestingly quirky, where you might take a second look and say "OK, that's a bit different, but hey!" and then just carry on with what you were doing. One of life's "nuances", not freaks of nature.

Finbar here (Peter Dinklage) looks a bit different, being four feet something in height but just wishes he was invisible. People making comments and then realising they shouldn't have then pretending they didn't - all that sort of nonsense.

So, when this quiet trainspotting dwarf hits the comatose backwater town of Newfoundland, NJ, to move into the disused station house left to him by his just deceased employer, quiet is all he wants and....doesn't get.

Through a series of nods, facial expressions and suggested directional strokes (from Thomas McCarthy), Fin, as he's known, quietly desists the attention he's getting from his neighbours. An overly friendly food vendor, Joe (Bobby Cannavale) who spends more time in front of his van than actually in it and estranged single (and bereft) mother Olivia (Patricia Clarkson), who's driver concentration skills desperately need honing.

There's little point in running through the plot, largely because there isn't one. It's heart-warming qualities mainly manifest themselves how these three (relative) oddballs, who are all so utterly different, with almost zero compatibility slowly and naturally become friends.

Nothing much more to add, really, except that I know it is one of many people's top 10 films, though not really in mine. I can see the qualities in it that appeal to them and they're good ones. The film is like a plate of food that is presented to you - it's a bit of mish-mash but it looks edible enough and as you pick at those ingredients, it all tastes better than you thought, but after you've finished, it was just ....a plate of food.

Fin McBride (Peter Dinklage) works in a Hoboken hobby train shop with his friend Henry. When Henry dies suddenly, the shop is sold and Henry leaves him an abandoned train station in rural New Jersey. He moves into the station to be alone. He is reluctantly pulled into the lives of talkative Joe Oramas (Bobby Cannavale) who is working his father's food truck and Olivia Harris (Patricia Clarkson) who almost runs him over, twice. She is separated from her husband and still struggling with her son's death from two years ago. He is also befriended by young black girl Cleo and librarian Emily (Michelle Williams).

It is a nice easy indie of these disparate characters coming together. It's probably the first staring role I saw with Dinklage. It's a quiet performance. Cannavale is his opposite. Clarkson is a little goofy at first but turns into a very compelling character. Williams is the young ingénue. The plot needs a more interesting narrative. There are no real stakes other than personal growth. I like these characters but there is no intensity.

Basically, this is a character study of 3 individuals as their lives intersect. Such an interesting premise - a solitary man, isolated by his pain at the world's cruelty about his dwarfism, inherits a small train station, and his life unfolds in this new place with new people.

I was waiting for the magic I've heard about, and while Dinklage is wonderful in this role, I couldn't find the character development. The dramatic plot points seemed a bit contrived, and the quirkiness of the characters almost too evident. I would have preferred more subtle character development that really goes somewhere to the quirkiness that seems to nervously spill out from everyone.

It was a sweet little film, but I couldn't find the thread that connects these individuals in a meaningful way.

Finbar has lived all his life with dwarfism and has carved out a pleasantly quiet living working in the back room of a model train shop. When the owner dies suddenly, Fin finds himself without a place of employment but with the inheritance of a patch of land and an old railway depot. Moving up there, he finds the usual pointing and staring and just continues his shut off existence. However a literal run-in with woman suffering loss and an overfriendly coffee stand vendor mean that he is forced to do something he has never really done before – have friends.

Maybe it is because its plot-lite, quirky nature is aimed at the same crowd that was still busy talking about Lost in Translation but The Station Agent seemed to be gone from the cinemas almost as quickly as it entered it. Not unusual even in a big city like Birmingham – generally non-blockbusters are only given a week, two at most before they are shunted off the screens by something else; but for it to happen to a film that easily matches Lost in Translation for sheer quirky humour and genuine emotional involvement is a real shame because this is a film that I will recommend (but not hype) to anyone who will listen to me. In terms of story, not much happens but three rather solitary souls come together, becoming friends but also bringing all their issues, baggage and problems with them. In terms of substance this is where it is at as the well written script allows Fin's seclusion to be part of him, Joe's innocently friendly nature to be as real as his speed to be wounded while the complexity of Olivia's friendship with Fin is never as simple as it would seem if I were just to state it here. It slowly draws you in with its gentle nature but it really does deliver an engaging and touching story.

The quirky touch and the gentle humour is very well observed even though at points it was rather obviously delivered with the use of 'quirky' music and strange looking shots. It is this that sets a very nice foundation for the deeper stuff that is to come and helps us buy into the characters early on so that we are there when we need to be. This quirky tone goes across the whole film and I think the only way I can describe it is to call it 'lovely'; it was lovely and it produced a delightful film that is easy to settle into and really enjoy. Dinklage is excellent; he is almost silent at times but gradually grows and you can see in his face his issues but also him struggling to come to terms with this sudden acceptance he appears to be being given as well as his own desire to trust people where he has never had a reason to before. It is very easy to praise Clarkson for strong performances but she has done it yet again with a performance that makes her character so layered but also so revealing without ever being obvious. Cannavale is given less story and character to work with but he makes the most of it and effortlessly avoids the 'yaw bro' cliché that he could easily have been and produces a sensitive, likable and sympathetic character with comparatively little material. The film has others in it but these three are the core and, with three wonderful leads how could the film have been anything less than it was?

Overall this is a very slight film that ends as quietly as it began and has little in the way of plot in between. However it has a wonderful mood delivered by unfussy direction, a unobtrusive and fitting score, wonderfully written characters and three wonderful lead performances. Missed by many on its cinema release, this is a wonderful little film that I hope will continue to surprise those that come across it during the coming years on DVD, cable and television.

This is an amazing film -- it has humor, intelligence and emotion. With a minimum of dialog, it conveys a great deal of wisdom regarding the human condition.

Peter Dinklage excels as a train enthusiast who thinks a move to the small train depot he inherits may afford him the peace and quiet he craves. As a result of his dwarfism, he has been on the receiving end of too much cruelty, sometimes thoughtless but all too often intentional, so all he wants is to be left alone. Once ensconced in the depot, however, he meets a few people (most notably an artist played by Patricia Clarkson) who bring to his life all the complications involved in relationships. And that's what this film is all about: we are all fallible individuals, but ultimately we need each other.

High marks to Thomas McCarthy for directing and writing this treasure. The only thing I don't understand is why it was assigned an "R" rating.

The Station Agent was for me one of those "quiet movies about quiet people who come and go quietly" (I'm not a big fan of action films.) I love to experience human intimacy on film and The Station Agent did exactly that for me. I found the characters, and their interaction, captivating. I fell in love with Patricia Clarkson through Six Feet Under, Bobby Cannavale through Will & Grace, and Peter Dinklage through Dinner for Five. What an ensemble! In this coming together of such grand talent, I experienced synergistic convergence, a rare commodity in film. I found Peter absolutely enchanting, he delivers a magical performance. I am in awe of the light that shines from his being. I perceive him to be an ancient soul. My life has been enriched for having experienced his essence. And, even though I'm old enough to be his mother, I find him to be a handsome and sexy man! (And I'm 5'9" tall). The universe has been waiting for Peter Dinklage. I look for him to accomplish wonderful things (in and out of the film industry).

'The Station Agent', written and directed by Tom McCarthy, is the story of a model train store worker, Fin (Peter Dinklage) who discovers after his friend and employer dies that he has left him a broken down and abandoned train station in the small town of Newfoundland, New Jersey. Being a loner, Fin jumps at the opportunity to go someplace new and quiet, so he decides to live in the station. Soon after arriving, he meets Joe (Bobby Cannavale) who runs a hot dog and coffee truck for his dad in front of the station, as well as meeting a distracted woman, Olivia (Patricia Clarkson) an artist who is mourning the death of her son. The three eventually end up striking up an unusual friendship, while dealing with their own personal issues.

The New York Times described 'The Station Agent' as 'hilarious' and 'appetizing', and while I agree that it is a good film, I certainly wouldn't describe it as 'hilarious'. I may have chuckled a few times, but I found the film to be more of a drama by far than a comedy. The absolute breakout star of the film is Dinklage, who is incredibly engaging, charismatic and talented. His performance completely drew me in, and made what could have just been a mediocre film into a good one. The concept of having a dwarf as the leading man in a film that doesn't adhere to vicious stereotypes is obviously an original one, and it really worked out well in this case.

'The Station Agent' is a quiet little film that was unusual enough to make up for a fairly basic plot. Clarkson is always great in everything she does, but Dinklage is the one to watch in this film; he is absolutely fantastic. 7/10

--Shelly

One of those small, quiet films about human behavior that utterly captivates through the strength of its writing and acting.

It could have been too quaint for its own good, full of self-consciously eccentric characters, but it's not. Instead, it's warm and inviting, full of the kind of characters you wish you could just stay with after the movie's over.

Peter Dinklage plays a grumpy misfit who moves out to a solitary town in order to be left alone. But the outgoing assortment of fellow misfits he meets won't let that happen. Dinklage is good, but Bobby Cannavale, as a goofball who won't ever shut up, and Patricia Clarkson, as a sad and lonely painter, are the stand outs.

Grade: A

With so many action movies about fantasy land, I was struck by the simplicity, fine acting and subtle humor of this movie. Peter Dinklage is adorable and one of the finest actors of our time. All three main actors are superb. Joe, the food truck driver is a hoot and endearing in such an innocent way. Olivia, is tortured, but yet warm and kind. Her performance in the film was a 10. A combination of a fine writing met with outstanding performers.

In summary without giving away too much, it is the unlikely friendship that develops among three very different strangers. It is a heartwarming and a beautiful story.

I like to tell people I discovered Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) back in 2003 before anyone knew his name. A must see.

Could also be titled The Loneliest Dwarf, I suppose, since that is what Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) appears to be in this movie. After his only friend dies, diminutive Fin inherits an abandoned train depot in New Jersey and makes it his home. He appears to have gone through life avoiding as many people as possible. It's a wonder he had even the one friend before all this. He has let his dwarfism define his attitude about life - everyone laughs at him and pushes him around so he has retreated way back into his shell.

Outside his depot, there's a hot dog and coffee vendor who can't seem to hold still long enough to pour the coffee. On the road into town, a woman nearly runs him over, sending him into a ditch. She apologizes profusely, then amazingly does the same thing later driving from the other direction. These two neurotic loons are Finbar's new friends. Coincidence brings them together, but it's loneliness that keeps them together. All three have some sort of social awkwardness. Fin is quiet and terse (and a dwarf), the hot dog guy is desperate for attention and talkative, which drives people away, and the woman, who has recently lost her young son, is afraid of starting any new relationships so she holes herself away and paints to avoid the issue.

The movie is pretty funny, particularly Dinklage with his general annoyance at everything happening around him, but the plot and characters are mostly paint-by-numbers. It's an enjoyable, bittersweet little comedy with great performances, nothing more. But it's enough. Check it out!

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The Station Agent takes you back to the time where movies had simple yet unpredictable plots packed with life lessons. Instead of maintaining the viewers attention through numerous twists you get to identify with the characters and what they are going through.

I would recommend watching it with family/friends.

A man with dwarfism inherits an abandoned train station in rural New Jersey and moves there. Many of the neighbours view him as an oddity but slowly and surely he starts to feel at home.

Sweet, understated movie from writer-director Tom McCarthy, who would go on to write and direct Spotlight (and win a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for his efforts), as well as write Up. Warm and engaging drama with occasional wry humour.

However, while the journey is a pleasant, the destination is rather fuzzy. There's no profundity or closure at the end and it does a bit like a damp squib. This is not to say that movies have to have a powerful conclusion - plenty of films I've enjoyed have been about the journey rather than the destination - but in this case it does feel like a let-down. The movie is not that long anyway - less than 1 ½ hours - so another 20 minutes or so in order to wrap things up could easily have been accommodated.

Overall: good but could have been better.

Sadly, the most interesting thing about this film is that the leading man is a dwarf. I had heard a lot of positive things about it and wanted to like it, but was very disappointed. Other than the dwarf factor, I think the film falls short (no pun intended) on many levels. It's okay that the story unfolds slowly, but there were so many directions it could have taken; and yet, it goes nowhere. It revolves primarily around three characters whose lives intersect. The character development is half-baked and the characters themselves are not interesting enough to sustain the story. The dwarf (Finn) wants to be left alone -- this we find out quickly. Is that enough to make him and the movie interesting? Do we care about the other two characters? Just barely. Anything else going on? Not really. Peter Dinklage is great -- but I feel he is wasted here in what could have been a landmark role for a dwarf as leading man. At one point in the film, his character states that in spite of the fuss often made about his size, he is really a boring person; and we get the sense that he is right -- he is boring, and ultimately so is the film.