MOVIE: The Station Agent-your thoughts?

Once again, having been dragged, kicking and screaming into the 21st century, our "family Christmas gift" this past holiday was a DVD player. To curry my favor (I'm sure) the wife and stepson purchased me a copy of The Station Agent. I finally made the time to sit down and watch it last night. I liked it but it won't be getting any rave reviews from this corner. I'm sure I'll watch it again, but not right away. I felt the characters were shallow, the development a little improbable and the whole question of why one is a railway enthusiast (as opposed to being a NASCAR fan, a Grateful Dead follower, or any other hobby/avocation where people may be seen as "fanatics") was never satisfactorily explored or explained.

So, am I being too harsh? As I said, I enjoyed it but it didn't live up to some of the hype that was presented on the previous version of this site.

BTW-did anyone notice the scene where Finn and Joe chase the Susquehanna freight in the mobile canteen? (That's a "roach coach" to you military guys.) After the van stops and the freight continues to pass, the last car is a tank car and there is a rider on the footboards.

My guess is that the filmakers didn't want to spend too much time on why one might be a rail enthusiast because it would bore the 99 % of people who saw the movie that aren't rail enthusiasts. sorry for the run-on sentence.

I don't think the story was about why someone was about a rail buff. Rather it was about how three lonely people with seemingly little in common were able to bond and form strong friendships because they weren't put off by each others eccentricities, but rather appreciated them.

I enjoyed the treatment of rail buffs. It acknowledges our eccentricities. Finn and his co-worker even made fun of them, and that's important, too. We shouldn't take ourselves too seriously. After all, it's only trains.

LI Loco wrote:I don't think the story was about why someone was about a rail buff. Rather it was about how three lonely people with seemingly little in common were able to bond and form strong friendships because they weren't put off by each others eccentricities, but rather appreciated them.

I enjoyed the treatment of rail buffs. It acknowledges our eccentricities. Finn and his co-worker even made fun of them, and that's important, too. We shouldn't take ourselves too seriously. After all, it's only trains.

I don't think I can be accused of taking myself too seriously-see my avatar.

But, thanks for pointing out what I obviously overlooked. Sorry, as I age (and get grumpier) I seem to lose my tolerance for some of the "character development" that was so crucial to the unfolding of the plot.

Anyhow, I liked the movie, I just wasn't as impressed as some others whose reviews I'd read.

BTW-did anyone notice the scene where Finn and Joe chase the Susquehanna freight in the mobile canteen? (That's a "roach coach" to you military guys.) After the van stops and the freight continues to pass, the last car is a tank car and there is a rider on the footboards.

I never noticed that in the film, I'll check it out tonight.
Something else I heard about the movie, when they filmed the movie the station had already been completely restored, whcih meant repainting the outside making it look dilapidated. If you look at the bathroom where he sleeps in the tub, its pretty clean for not being used in umpteen years

I just rented and watched the film tonight. I will say that I agree that the film was more about three lonely people needing company than about a retired railroad worker. I liked all of the rail footage and the view inside the depot, the caboose, and the pullman car. From the looks of things, beside the caboose and the pullman car, the Newfoundland, NJ depot also had a telephone booth and the base of a water tower next to it. Kind of a unique combination of stuff to be in one place, must have been chosen wisely by the producers. The depot was an ex-Erie if my memory serves me right. The whole time I watched the movie all I thought of was that I would have loved to be cast in that film, just to get a glimpse of live action, an old depot, and be able to walk on the ROW without rail cops on my tail. As far as authenticity, I am unsure what is real and what isn't...it would be neat to see if the train watchers book indeed was a Pinkepank book. Lastly, if anyone would like to leave a $400 video camera on my doorstep...feel free.

The Newfoundland depot was built and owned by the Susquehanna, which in turn, was a subsidiary of the Erie until around 1940. In 1980, I went there to ride the Morris County Central steam train.

The passenger car in the movie is an ex-CNJ coach.

Thanks for clarifying the depot data. I knew it had some Erie tie in. Does anyone know who actually owns that depot and if they are restoring it? If I was the owner I would have had a restoration clause in the contract for the movie company. (You use my station for your movie and some of the proceeds [X dollars] will be used to restore it [both exterior and interior].)

Personally, I thought it one of the better movies I've ever seen. To me, the characters were anything but shallow. And, it's perhaps the most respectful role for a dwarf I've ever seen. Definitely not your run of the mill Hollywood formula, and definitely in my top 10, and I've seen a lot of movies. Dave

Does anybody know where the bar in the film is? It'd be another excuse to set some exploratory wander in motion to go find it.

Know it's a long time since the question was asked but here goes - the bar exists just as shown in Rockaway Borough NJ. The tracks do pass right by and are former CNJ now owned by the county and serviced regularly by contract operator Morristown & Erie. The hobby shop used is in the same town up the street a bit (Main Street) - 'The Golden Spike' (which can still be seen on the building) is actually local hobby shop 'Rails to Cottages' though I seem to remember hearing at the time that much of the filming was done in the then empty store next door which is very similar looking.

My friend and I had lunch today at the Mill Lane Tavern in Rockaway, NJ. It was just like in the move - I think I sat at the same place at the bar as Fin. The lunch special was Meatball Sandwiches, which we had - they we very good. Eveyone in the bar was was very friendly and they all agreed that they would not like to walk to the Susquanna station on the corner of Greenpond Road and Rt 23 from there, it is about 30 miles away and the tracks that run past the tavern don't even go there.

Anyhow, it was a great little movie and being a railfan I could identify with Fin's love of railroads and the area. If I were Fin I might have tried to get closer to Olivia though. Incidentally, the lake scenes were at Lake Hopatcong which is also quite a distance from the station.

WNYRailfan wrote:Thanks for clarifying the depot data. I knew it had some Erie tie in. Does anyone know who actually owns that depot and if they are restoring it? If I was the owner I would have had a restoration clause in the contract for the movie company. (You use my station for your movie and some of the proceeds [X dollars] will be used to restore it [both exterior and interior].)

Actually, a lot of money was spent to make the station look dilapidated for the movie.

WNYRailfan wrote: The whole time I watched the movie all I thought of was that I would have loved to be cast in that film, just to get a glimpse of live action, an old depot, and be able to walk on the ROW without rail cops on my tail.

On the DVD, the actors mention being taken to the police station for trespassing on the right of way while filming one scene.