The Station Agent

There is a train track near my childhood home in upstate New York. Even though it was a few houses away and down a knoll it would slightly shake the house when it passed by and still does to this day. I remember, when I was young us kids would race to the walk bridge when we heard the whistle, to see it pass under us. The days we got there in time were always satisfying to watch the cars pass one by one. Our subject today plays on those feelings. A film which follows a train enthusiast down a track to a new town, new home, and great people.

So if you’re like me and you enjoy film and the impact and emotions they convey, then grab a glass of your preferred liquid and join me for the next little while. For me that’s a cup of cafe con leche from our friends at Saxbys here in Philadelphia. So sit back, relax, and let’s talk about the love of film. Welcome to Glazed Cinema

The Station Agent follows a man named Finbar from Hoboken. Fin is a dwarf and train enthusiast who works at a model train store called “The Golden Spike”. Run by his friend Henry, Fin works in the back repairing the miniature trains customers bring in for refurbishing. Henry is an older gentleman and together we see the pair do a lot together. From eating, going to their train club together, and working, we can tell the two are close. One day Henry suddenly passes away and Fin inherits an old Train station from him. The station however is not in Hoboken, but in a small town in New Jersey called Newfoundland. With the business being sold he moves from into his new home. Once there he meets two people who will become his friends and social circle, cultivating a life and support system.

The train station he inherits is old and from the outside looks weathered. The building itself is also quite small, providing two windows, a side door, and a front door. When he arrives to see his new place, we see that it’s not exactly homey. There is a bathroom, kitchenette, refrigerator, and a couch. There‘s a desk, an industrial fan, and filing cabinets as well, with posters on the wall of destinations like (find examples).

The film was written and directed by Tom McCarthy in his debut feature. Released in 2003, it’s a movie that I feel isn’t talked about enough, which is a shame, because it's a great story. It also packs some fantastic performances and moments within its ninety minute duration. In doing some research I found out that McCarthy wrote all the roles with the specific actors in mind, which is pretty interesting. I've always marveled at those who can do that as it sounds like quite the task from a layman's perspective.

The movie as a whole has a certain charm to it. Maybe it's the small town or the everyday life kind of tale, but I find it really nice. A lot of that has to do with the characters we follow, most of all, our protagonist. Fin, played by Peter Dinklage is a dwarf, meaning that he is of a height of four foot, ten inches tall or less. We see early on in the film, while still in Hoboken the daily looks and jeers he is subject to. Sadly these come from different people, be it adults and children alike. Ignoring most of the comments around him we can’t help but notice that his exterior is a bit hardened, stoic, and protected. As introvert he also doesn’t like the attention, usually opting to be by himself. This soon changes however when he starts meeting new people.

The friends he makes in town are Olivia and Joe, each different from Fin and each other in the best of ways. These three really make the movie something special and the performances make the characters three dimensional.

The first person we meet in Newfoundland is Joe. Played by Bobby Cannavale, he is a kind hearted extrovert who has a great sense of humor. Joe seems to always be talking and wants to be involved in his friends’ lives. He runs a food truck called Gorgeous Frank’s that serves coffee and food like muffins and hot dogs. Although by what the locals order it would seem that he makes a mean cafe con leche. Manning the truck while his dad recovers from an injury he parks his truck outside of Fin’s place each morning to serve his patrons. The first time we meet Joe Fin is jolted awake by the sound of metal shifting around followed by talking outside. Getting up to investigate Fin approaches the truck and buys a cup of cafe con leche. With Joe speaking a lot and Fin speaking a little their relationship is great and well balanced. Joe might be my favorite character, it’s hard not to love him.

The second person we meet in town is Olivia. Played by Patricia Clarkson she is a well meaning and nice person who is an artist. She is a bit fragile as she is recovering from the loss of her son and reeling from a recent divorce. Olivia and Fin meet in the oddest of ways. Fin, in need of food and without a vehicle decides to walk to the local convenience store. Meandering down a backroad cutting through forest he sees a car approaching. The woman in the car is putting things away as the automobile begins to swerve and serpentine toward him. Diving out of the way be lands in the brush down a small slope. Panicked the woman exits to check on him and help him get back on the road. Offering a ride he turns it down, mildly annoyed at the episode. This is how Fin and Olivia meet and from this near collision they form a bond and friendship.

There are a lot of great scenes in this film, but one of my favorites is when Joe cooks dinner for the three of them for the first time. Making Steak and rice he serves them food at the table by his truck and Olivia pours wine. Joe holds his hands out for grace to which Olivia and Fin are reluctant, but join hands. Joe with his head down asks “Who wants to say it?”, to which Olivia says, ”You”. After some words they begin to eat when Joe gets a call from his dad who needs help with his medication. Before making an abrupt exit he asks, “This was fun right?” I love the exchange between the three of them throughout the film and this is just one example of that. They’re almost like kindred spirits who were meant to meet one another.

The Station Agent was made on a budget of $500,000 and was filmed over a twenty day period, a lot of it in New Jersey. In fact the train station seen in the film can be found in the town of Newfoundland, though it looks a bit different today with a fresh coat of paint. Backed by Miramax it did well at the box office, making eight million dollars. It was also included in Sundance where it won awards including Best Screenplay, Director, and Actress.

The Station Agent boasts great performances from its leads and supportive roles alike. Peter Dinklage is great in his role of Finbar and I love the progression of his character and how he portrays him. Patricia Clarkson feels like Olivia. I can’t picture anyone else playing her, which is a testament to her performance. She brings such depth and realness to the character. I love Bobby Cannavale as Joe, he reminds me a bit of my best friend, Brian. There’s a lot of great qualities in Joe.

I remember the first time I saw The Station Agent. I remember that I was in college and like a lot of times found ourselves at Barnes and Noble. The person behind the counter, Andy had recommended a few good films in the past and recommended this film to us. Trusting his judgement I bought the DVD that day. Back at my house we inserted the disc and pressed play. We were pleasantly surprised by what unfolded in front of us.

The characters feel like old friends and watching it again feels like a reunion of sorts. The movie has a warm feeling to me, a supportive kind of feeling which makes me want to come back.

I really like this movie and think about it from time to time. I love the characters and the journey from start to finish. When I scan my collection looking for something to watch I occasionally glance the spine of the DVD and smile. I can’t speak highly enough about this movie and highly recommend giving it a try, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

If you’d like to watch The Station Agent for yourself you can find it on a variety of streaming services. At the time of this recording you can find it on Showtime if you subscribe to that service.

You can also find it on services like Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu for either $3.99 or $2.99 to rent.

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