The Station Agent (2003) - ★★★★★

Director: Thomas McCarthy
Writer: Thomas McCarthy
Stars: Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Williams

The Station Agent wins the award for Best Surprise of the Year. I was flicking through channels looking for something to watch when I saw a young Peter Dinklage on screen. I decided to watch for a scene or two. Then, the movie was over. Without even realizing it, I had watched the whole film. This movie is so engrossing, so interesting, so beautiful that I couldn't tear my eyes away. It takes a good movie to catch your attention, and a great movie to keep you watching until the end. I didn't expect to love this movie, yet right now I'm calling it a masterpiece.

Finn (Peter Dinklage) inherited an old abandoned train station from his deceased friend, who happened to be his only friend. He moves there to live a life of solitude, for his whole life he's had to deal with dwarfism and being treated as an outcast. Only he doesn't find solitude there, instead he meets a chatty hotdog vendor (Bobby Cannavale) and a troubled woman (Patricia Clarkson). He becomes unlikely friends with the two, as they just deal with life and the things to come.

What makes this movie genius is that it's so natural. The dialogue, the acting, the surroundings, everything comes across realistically. I loved that the characters are all so different, yet they find amazing companionship with one another. These people don't just hit it off though, it takes time and effort for them to become friends. For me, Bobby Cannavale was really moving as Joe, a man that just wants a friend.

Peter Dinklage is the glue that holds the pieces of the story together perfectly. He's simply fantastic as Finn, a man that always seems lonely and depressed. His subtle expressions really set the tone of the movie, moving us to laugh and to feel sad. Yes, I will say this... I like Dinklage better in this film than I do in Game of Thrones. I'll never take back that statement for as long as I live. 

Patricia Clarkson was absolutely hilarious at times, then horribly depressing at others. Her character seemed bipolar to me, which dictated the mood of the film quite often. This was a good thing, because the film had really high-highs and really low-lows. I'm just glad that I FELT something, which most dramas fail to accomplish nowadays.

What separates this movie from all other dramas is that it shows humanity at its finest, but in a raw and truthful way. These characters all have major problems, but they push on and keep trying. It's their new found companionship that seems to give them hope and happiness. This gave me new found hope and happiness. I have hope that one day I'll meet strange and lovable people like these, which makes me happy. Say what you will about this movie, I loved everything about it.