The Station Agent (October 10/03)

The Station Agent marks the directorial debut of Tom McCarthy, who's known mostly for his acting (he was a regular during the first season of Boston Public). And as tends to be the case with performers-turned-filmmakers, McCarthy's not afraid to let this story unfold slowly - allowing us to get to know the characters beyond the superficial (much beyond).

Peter Dinklage stars as Fin McBride, a man who - after receiving an abandoned train depot as an inheritance - moves to a small New Jersey town. There, he meets a gregarious hot dog vendor named Joe (Bobby Cannavale) and Olivia, a local painter with a haunted past (played by Patricia Clarkson). Though Fin's come to distrust the majority of people he meets, Joe and Olivia eventually manage to break through his hardened exterior and the three become close friends.

It's a small and delicate movie that initially seems as though it's going to be a little too slight to make an impact, but the characters eventually become compelling enough to keep us intrigued. The center of the story is Dinklage's Fin, a dwarf that's come to distrust virtually everyone he meets (and with good reason; he's generally met with stares and finger-pointing). McCarthy smartly doesn't let Fin's diminutive stature define him; it's an integral part of his life, sure, but it's not something that he dwells on. Further proof that Dinklage's casting isn't just a gimmick lies in the fact that the man is a brilliant actor. Fin's reluctance to allow anyone into his life is the sort of character trait that might have been a turn-off for the audience, but in the hands of Dinklage, it's more intriguing than anything else.

Clarkson and Cannavale must've had their work cut out for them acting opposite someone with such a commanding presence, but they're more than up to the task. Clarkson's become the queen of the indie scene (taking the title from Parker Posey, who gave up her claim once she made Josie and the Pussycats), popping up in a variety of smaller movies and always delivering a memorable performance. That's certainly true here, where (as Olivia) Clarkson does a nice job of playing a character that occasionally wavers between being likable and unlikeable. McCarthy proves to be quite effective in establishing characters that aren't cut-and-dried; aside from a few periphery figures, the movie's been populated with complex individuals. As for Cannavale, he initially seems to be the comic relief of the film - Joe is an outgoing and amiable fellow - but as the movie progresses, it becomes clear that there's more than meets the eye to this man.

There aren't many movies with characters as involving as in The Station Agent, and for that alone, it's worth seeking out. It also marks the arrival of a major talent in the form of Dinklage, who deserves more roles like this one (but probably won't receive them).