Rating: 
Summary: 3 Interesting Characters. 3 Engaging Performances.
Review: "The Station Agent" is a quiet, quirky little character drama set in the rural town of Newfoundland, New Jersey. Fin McBride (Peter Dinklage) is an ordinary man who can't seem to escape the constant attention of strangers because he is a dwarf. When he inherits an abandoned train station, complete with station agent's building, in this remote New Jersey town, he jumps at the chance to become a recluse. Upon moving into the station, he discovers that it is not as out of the way as he might have hoped. A very friendly coffee and hot dog vendor named Joe (Bobby Cannavale) sets up shop practically on his doorstep every day. Though he might try, Fin can't avoid Joe or Olivia Harris (Patricia Clarkson), an accident-prone artist who lives nearby. "The Station Agent" is about three people who at first glance might appear to have nothing in common beyond a coffee stand. But these people are interesting, and it's interesting to watch them develop a friendship, sometimes in spite of themselves. Thomas McCarthy has written a fine character piece and directed an attractive film, but these characters could have easily been two-dimensional without superb performances from the actors. Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, and Bobby Cannavale have made the recluse, the grieving woman, and the motor-mouth interesting individuals who are full of life. They're people whom we might not mind running into if we were passing through their neck of the woods, which is a great achievement for a writer or casting director. "The Station Agent " presents the vitality in life's hardships and the value of unlikely friendships without being overbearing. The DVD: Bonus features include deleted scenes and an audio commentary by writer/director Thomas McCarthy and actors Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, and Bobby Cannavale. The commentary is very conversational and pretty constant, without many breaks when nothing is said. The participants talk about their experiences filming the movie and, in doing so, convey a lot of affection for the project.
Rating: 
Summary: CHARMING, LEISURELY LITTLE GEM
Review: "The Station Agent" is the kind of film that exists outside of genre or one line descriptions. Its twists and turns are so subtle and unexpected that easy synopsis would be unfair. As a testament to vagrant, ephemeral human connection, it conveys a bittersweet sort of joy that is rarely seen in conventional movies these days. Writer-director McCarthy (on my most watched list from now on) takes us through this gentle story almost effortlessly, highlighting the little quirks in each character's personality without remotely turning them into offbeat rural stereotypes. The best advice to filmgoers who appreciate smart, mature, humanist movies is, quite simply -- Watch this gem pronto!
Rating:
Summary: my fave movie so far this year...
Review: "The Station Agent" was the best movie experience I've had this year. I will be the happiest person on earth if its star, Peter Dinklage, gets nominated for an Academy Award. He is able to create so much of his character through facial expressions and meaningful intonations, and through stony silence. I was truly captivated by him every step of the way. Unlike so many movies I've seen this year, "The Station Agent" trusts the intelligence and sensitivity of its audience, and doesn't hit us over the head with its themes. Instead, we are able to draw our own conclusions about the undercurrents in these characters lives. Nothing is spelled out too obviously, to the point that I was surprised by some of the things that developed, and surprised by some of the things that didn't. The cast is uniformly great -- not a false note anywhere. There is chemistry galore between the five main characters, and lovely moments for each of the actors. There is a fair amount of character driven humor, and some very touching scenes. Yes, folks, I laughed and I cried. I could have very happily watched these characters for another 90 minutes... how about "The Station Agent: the series"?
Rating:
Summary: a true indie classic
Review: ... everything that you have heard about this movie is true, it is truly fantastic. the acting is superb and all three of the characters deserve praise. i love how they captured the small town mentality of people not either fearing or fascinated by something they do not understand i.e little people. i really like the way in how the three came together as a friendship and how it really showed that each of them needed the other. if you get the chance to go and see this movie i highly recommend it, i dont think this movie is capable of disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: A great film; highly recommended!
Review: A man born with dwarfism (Peter Dinklage) retreats from society and becomes a loner. He has a fascination for trains and after he inherits an abandoned train depot in New Jersey, he's forced to come to terms with his shy nature, and in the process meets up with two other like-minded loners, an artist (Patricia Clarkson) struggling with the death of her son, and a friendly hot dog vendor (Bobby Cannavale) who hungers to share his love of food. What makes THE STATION AGENT a better-than-average film is that the three characters are portrayed in such a realistic and complex manner. Each character has rough edges as they constantly deal with their problems. While Cannavale's character is the least developed of the three he does succeed in adding much laughter to the plot. His interactions with the other two characters are well written and funny. Watching this film was a real treat. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Charming, Subtle Piece
Review: A very charming charcter study, indeed. Our dwarf friend, Fin, inherits an abandoned train depot, in Newfoundland, NJ, and so goes there to retire and live almost as a hermit. Against his will, he forms a strange sort of bond with a frustrated artist, whose son has recently died, and whose husband has left her cold, and a jovial, outspoken Cuban hotdog/cafe con leche vendor who sells right in front of Fin's depot.
There isn't much plot, but the somewhat dark/dry humor combined with the fine acting and the slow unveiling of the characters make for an entertaining flick, which should stick with you for a few days.
Rating:
Summary: The Station Agent
Review: A wonderfully quirky and heartfelt story about how despite the cruelty the world can often offer, there are still pockets of kindness and love to be found. Peter Dinklage is only one member of an exceptional cast, all initially strangers that come together to form deep bonds of friendship and love. Dinklage plays the role of a train loving anti-social dwarf who tries to run away from society and live isolated from everyone. Despite his best intentions, he is drawn back to the world by indivuduals struggling with their own issues of isolation and pain, including a young child, a machismo food vending truck owner, and a woman dealing with the death of her son and subsequent collapse of her marriage.
Rating:
Summary: A Wholesome, Satisfying, Positively Lingering Drama
Review: All of the above adjectives perfectly describe "The Station Agent" to a tee. When Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) inherits an abandoned, run-down train depot, he inherits the lives of two "socially challenged" individuals as well. Joe (Bobby Canavale) runs his ailing dad's hot dog "emporium", Gorgeous Frank's, and Olivia, a recently divorced, forty-something writer (Patricia Clarkson), somehow take an interest in their newfound friend, and the three wind up taking an interesting journey together. On this journey, they learn about the social pitfalls of love and romance, and the price each has to pay for their own shortcomings. "The Station Agent" does well in utilizing its main theme in acting as a magnet in drawing its audience closer together, therefore tying any probable "loose ends" (to which there are few) together, looming large in the attention-getting factor. In totality, this is a motion picture that blends uplifting theatrics and climactic dramatics together quite flawlessly, and will definitely leave a positively lingering effect on its audiences. Go underground, and discover this hidden treasure (at your local theater or on video) soon. You'll positively, absolutely like what you see (and hear)!
Rating:
Summary: Digging For It
Review: Fin (Peter Dinklage) wants to be left alone. He works in a Model Train Shop, where he is not likely to be seen. His major passion and love is Trains: loves the romance of them, their ability to take you away from it all, the bigness and solidity of them. Because of his size, Fin has had a troubled life and he avoids people like the plague so as not to be wounded. He has one friend, a fellow Train Shop worker who dies one day and leaves Fin a Train Station House and an acre of surrounding land. And Fin goes there to live out his life as far away from those who have hurt him his entire life. But he didn't count on Joe (handsome, robust, smack-talking but lovable Bobby Carnavale), a snack truck vendor or Olivia (lithe, sensitive, barely able to keep it together Patricia Clarkson), a neighbor who is trying to get over the loss of her son and a divorce.
The dynamics of these three is interestingly askew in that Fin, wary and committed to the notion that he will always be alone and without friends, is actively pursued by Joe for that very thing: friendship. And Olivia, having literally run Fin off a road twice, seeks Fin's forgiveness at first, then ultimately his friendship. It's like the old adage: when you want it, you can't get it and when you don't, it's there for the taking.
"The Station Agent" is a gentle, quiet film. One that concentrates on the small wonders and circumstances of a life lived in a solitary manner. It's about what happens when you finally find people who look beyond what there is to see on the outside and seek out the very core of your being and more importantly, find it in all its brilliance and resonant splendor.
Rating:
Summary: A Story of Friendship
Review: Fin McBride (Peter Dinklage) is a dwarf who works in a model train store and just loves his job. Only problem is he is made fun of and excpet for his boss, has no friends. A short ways into the movie, his boss dies and leaves him an abandoned train depot in Newfoundland, New Jersey. He packs up his meager belongings and sets out for this remote country place where he can at least be left alone.
When he arrives at the station he finds that it is right next to the still-active railroad tracks. It is run down and it only has a couch to sleep on, no phone, nor any other utilities. He seems satisfied that he can live his life of train watching in solitude. But the first morning, he is awakened by Joe (Bobby Cannavale), a sociable young man whose hot-dog truck is parked right next to the depot. Joe is very persistent in wanting to be Fin's friend and he never seems to stop talking. Another would be friend is Olivia (Patricia Clarkson), who he meeets because she nearly runs over him twice in the same day with her car.
Fin does all he can to avoid these new acquaintances by taking long walks on the railroad right-of-way and checking the timing of the trains at a bridge. But they manage to wear him down. They learn a little bit more about each other every time and learn to respect each others privacy as well.
This film shows us how important friendship is and how it grows. That you should not judge people by how they look, but what they do. And that no one really wants to be a loner. It is an increadible film. I was enthralled watching these three flawed characters come to life on the screen and watch them form their freindship. I recommend you watch this film.
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