Railway Man deals with big issues in a small way. The most obvious of these is the treatment of British prisoners of war held by the Japanese. It also deals with the aftermath, how this mistreatment, the torture, starvation and more continued to haunt the men held in their lives after the war. It is one of the few films to do this.
But it is also a film about redemption--through repentance, through hard work and through love.
But it is also a film about redemption--through repentance, through hard work and through love.
The film dodges several mistakes that might have muddled it. It does not spend a ton of time on side characters--and especially not on their background stories. It focuses on the character played by Colin Firth and Jeremy Irvine, Eric. He is a radioman (and we find out, a Railway enthusiast) taken by the Japanese after the surrender of Singapore. The soldiers are then held in deplorable conditions. But this isn't where the movie spends most of his time.
It is mostly concerned with Eric years later, after he meets a woman and seemingly finds happiness--decades later. Nicole Kidman plays Patti in an understated role that reminds (again after her performance in Stoker) what a fine actress she is.
The war intrudes on Eric's happiness--even more so when he is told that one of his tormenters Takeshi Nagase (played by Hiroyuki Sanada and Tanroh Ishida) has been found--giving tours of the very railway where the British prisoners toiled and died.
What will Eric do?
This is the basis for the movie. Railway Man is not a film about geo-political aspects of war or about crimes against humanity in a broad sense. It is about the men involved and how they react. It is about Eric and his relationship with his wife vis a vis his experiences in the war. It is a small movie about a man who is trying to put the past behind him and live his life.
There are parts of the film that are designed to make you angry. But ultimately these merely serve to show that what is needed isn't anger but humanity, empathy and forgiveness. A small film, not one that will make much noise, get much notice or win piles of awards but it is moving, well-paced, beautifully shot and filled with excellent acting, even in small roles.
It is mostly concerned with Eric years later, after he meets a woman and seemingly finds happiness--decades later. Nicole Kidman plays Patti in an understated role that reminds (again after her performance in Stoker) what a fine actress she is.
The war intrudes on Eric's happiness--even more so when he is told that one of his tormenters Takeshi Nagase (played by Hiroyuki Sanada and Tanroh Ishida) has been found--giving tours of the very railway where the British prisoners toiled and died.
What will Eric do?
This is the basis for the movie. Railway Man is not a film about geo-political aspects of war or about crimes against humanity in a broad sense. It is about the men involved and how they react. It is about Eric and his relationship with his wife vis a vis his experiences in the war. It is a small movie about a man who is trying to put the past behind him and live his life.
There are parts of the film that are designed to make you angry. But ultimately these merely serve to show that what is needed isn't anger but humanity, empathy and forgiveness. A small film, not one that will make much noise, get much notice or win piles of awards but it is moving, well-paced, beautifully shot and filled with excellent acting, even in small roles.
RSS Feed