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The Man on the Train 2002 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Patrice Leconte
R, 90 min. (some language, brief violence) |
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Starring: Jean Rochefort, Johnny Hallyday, Charlie Nelson, Pascal Parmentier, Jean-Francois Stevenin, Isabelle Petit-Jacques
Producer: Philippe Carcassonne
Screenplay: Claude Klotz
Cinematography: Jean-Marie Dreujou
Distributor: Paramount Classics
Released: 5.09.03 (Limited)
(In French with subtitles) |
Rating:
 (out of ) |
French director Patrice Leconte's latest film, The Man on the Train, continues his penchant for making intimate films
about people who relish the differences in others in order to better understand the world they live in. Here, two older men
find an unlikely and close friendship in the wake of life-altering events. One man, Manesquier (Jean Rochefort), a retired
literature teacher, is scheduled for triple bypass surgery; the other, Milan (Johnny Hallyday), an old bank robber, is in
town to stick up the local bank. They meet by chance at a local drug store, and soon Manesquier has offered his modest
home as shelter for Milan, who finds the small town's hotel closed. Although they have only a few days together, the men
find solace in each other's company, engaging in witty conversations and playful banter about their disparate lives. Milan
craves the tranquility and mentoring aspects of Manesquier's life, while Manesquier craves the dangerous, adventurous
spirit that Milan has utilized for his criminal profession. They're two souls yearning for change at an age that normally defies the
possibility.
Leconte, who is responsible for wonderful films like The Widow of St. Pierre and Girl on the Bridge,
shows a great patience and elegance in his direction that many of today's younger directors don't understand. His scenes
eschew melodrama for the everyday qualities that most people can identify with. His characters talk at length, usually about
simple things, with an intelligence and insightfulness that underscores their experienced lives. This film, written by Claude Klotz,
emphasizes the weather-beaten lives of Milan and Manesquier, who experience one final poignant moment before their
fateful journey ends in bittersweet irony. Leconte focuses the two men's distinctive lives at their intersection, at a time when,
fate it seems, intervenes. He uses their mutual desire for change as the means for his introspective, quiet film.
Rochefort, the venerable actor, and Hallyday, a French rock star, are perfectly cast as opposites that attract. Leconte uses
their diverse backgrounds to good measure here, with both bringing real-life sensibility to their roles. The underlying
humor inherent in such a pairing is also palpable; Manesquier tries on Milan's leather jacket and learns to shoot a gun, while
Milan discusses the intracacies art and poetry with Manesquier while gazing at the stars. Their conversations are deep yet
superficial in nature, and they both understand the importance of silence, even though Manesquier would like to converse
some more.
The Man on the Train is about male friendship and how chemistry can develop quickly despite unlikely circumstances.
That Leconte takes the time to portray that friendship with the detailed concentration necessary to make the film
interesting is a testament to his effective directorial style, which complements his actors and elevates even mundane
subject matter.
© 2003 Jonathan Cornwell
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 |
 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
 | Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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