The Railway Man (B or 3/4 stars)
Post-traumatic stress, forgiveness, and reconciliation are just a few of the major themes in 'The Railway Man', a British drama directed by Jonathan Teplitzky & based on a best-selling autobiographical novel. The film opens in rural England in 1980, where former British Army officer/self-professed train enthusiast Eric Lomax (Colin Firth) falls in love & marries a sweet, empathetic nurse, Patti (Nicole Kidman), whom he met on a train ride to Scotland. Marriage life is okay for a bit, but Patti becomes heavily concerned about her husband's haunting nightmares about horrifying experiences he endured during his interment at a Japanese labor camp during WWII. Determined to help him overcome his demons, she enlists the help from army friend, Finlay (a stellar Stellan Skarsgard).
And that's when they discover that Nagase (Hiroyuki Sanada), the very Japanese soldier who brutally tortured Lomax, is alive & well; working as a tour guide at the same internment camp/now war museum. That kick-starts vivid, tormented memories of how young Eric Lomax (Jeremy Irvine, of War Horse) & his fellow military engineer prisoners were captured, became slave laborers, & forced to work on the Thai-Burma Railway, nicknamed the "death railway" (which inspired 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'). When a secret contraband radio he builds with fellow POWs is discovered, Lomax is beaten & water-tortured by sadistic Imperial Army translator Nagase (Tanroh Ishida), leaving him traumatised for many, many years. Intending to exact suppressed, murderous revenge, adult Lomax travels to Asia, visits the museum, finds Nagase, reveals his identity, & proceeds to interrogate his nemesis; who doesn't believe himself to be a war criminal. Drama ensues.
I admire 'The Railway Man' for quite a few reasons. The entire production is polished, respectful, & reeks of prestige {after all, it IS a Weinstein Company film}. The look & feel of the film is atmospheric; moody; even gloomy, but in a good way. Some of the cinematographical choices are interesting. The production design of the internment camp felt very authentic. And by the time the credits rolled, I felt that I had just witnessed a fine motion picture. Having said all of that, I also had a few problems. The dramatic effectiveness of the narrative is hampered by lack of suspense. And to say that this film exudes restraint ... is an understatement. In fact, understatement is a good word, too. The whole movie is understated to a fault. Quiet. The screenplay is spare; sometimes dragging the running time out.
But again, I admire several components of the film, including the acting. Colin Firth is excellent {when isn't he?} as the loveable, yet anguished, emotionally-repressed Lomax. The casting director did a great job enlisting Jeremy Irvine to play the younger Firth. There is a likeness btwn. the 2 actors, & Irvine conveys the proper vulnerability given the situation he was thrust in. Nicole Kidman provides sturdy support as Eric Lomax's concerned wife. And Hiroyuki Sanada is great as present day Nagase. The last act of the film contains several subtle, fantastic scenes of conversation, torture, & even compassion btwn. Firth & him; culminating in a surprising tear-stained reunion. And so, though there are some definite stodgy moments, I did like this fact-based story, as well as the dignified performances.
And that's when they discover that Nagase (Hiroyuki Sanada), the very Japanese soldier who brutally tortured Lomax, is alive & well; working as a tour guide at the same internment camp/now war museum. That kick-starts vivid, tormented memories of how young Eric Lomax (Jeremy Irvine, of War Horse) & his fellow military engineer prisoners were captured, became slave laborers, & forced to work on the Thai-Burma Railway, nicknamed the "death railway" (which inspired 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'). When a secret contraband radio he builds with fellow POWs is discovered, Lomax is beaten & water-tortured by sadistic Imperial Army translator Nagase (Tanroh Ishida), leaving him traumatised for many, many years. Intending to exact suppressed, murderous revenge, adult Lomax travels to Asia, visits the museum, finds Nagase, reveals his identity, & proceeds to interrogate his nemesis; who doesn't believe himself to be a war criminal. Drama ensues.
I admire 'The Railway Man' for quite a few reasons. The entire production is polished, respectful, & reeks of prestige {after all, it IS a Weinstein Company film}. The look & feel of the film is atmospheric; moody; even gloomy, but in a good way. Some of the cinematographical choices are interesting. The production design of the internment camp felt very authentic. And by the time the credits rolled, I felt that I had just witnessed a fine motion picture. Having said all of that, I also had a few problems. The dramatic effectiveness of the narrative is hampered by lack of suspense. And to say that this film exudes restraint ... is an understatement. In fact, understatement is a good word, too. The whole movie is understated to a fault. Quiet. The screenplay is spare; sometimes dragging the running time out.
But again, I admire several components of the film, including the acting. Colin Firth is excellent {when isn't he?} as the loveable, yet anguished, emotionally-repressed Lomax. The casting director did a great job enlisting Jeremy Irvine to play the younger Firth. There is a likeness btwn. the 2 actors, & Irvine conveys the proper vulnerability given the situation he was thrust in. Nicole Kidman provides sturdy support as Eric Lomax's concerned wife. And Hiroyuki Sanada is great as present day Nagase. The last act of the film contains several subtle, fantastic scenes of conversation, torture, & even compassion btwn. Firth & him; culminating in a surprising tear-stained reunion. And so, though there are some definite stodgy moments, I did like this fact-based story, as well as the dignified performances.