Local

The Station Agent

(2003)

This may be the countermetaphor film of the decade: all the central imagery is about trains, which move on a predetermined course and take you exactly where you expect to go--sorta like a lot of movies. But contrary to the insistent shots of narrow, unbending tracks, this film takes its pleasure in the ride, with the occasional side trip and no obvious destination. Which is not to say that it doesn't know where it's going; just to say that the terminal station doesn't show up on your timetable--the film ends in midconversation, on a mildly funny joke. And perfectly, in case my enthusiasm is not clear.

But let's talk about Peter Dinklage. Do we shrug our shoulders and say he (as well as we) is lucky to have gotten one lead role at 4-foot-5, or do we say, look--was it that hard to give him some work where his character's stature was not the only thing that matters about him? Gee, maybe his turn as "Diminutive Private eye Mongo 'The Magnificent'" in the upcoming Affair of Sorcerers will be a breakthrough. Or not.