A REVIEW OF "CENTRAL STATION"
by Ryan Ellis
give me a buzz on the ol' e-lines, iluvmick@hotmail.com
With the exception of the Akira Kurosawa classic "Throne Of Blood", I had never seen a foreign language film until "Central Station". Reading subtitles while trying to watch the facial expressions, set details, and technical aspects of a movie is not always fun. Heck, it's downright annoying. Still, if the acting is good and the story is compelling, you have to be willing to let your eyes do a little walkin' around the entire screen, from top to bottom. This late '98 release is an art film from Brazil about one lonely woman's seemingly pointless struggle through life. Dora (Fernanda Montenegro in an Oscar-nominated performance) is an older woman who spends her time writing letters for people at the central station. She's become incredibly cynical and doesn't even bother to mail many of the letters she's entrusted to send to the intended. A feisty woman named Ana (Soia Lira) and her spunky son, Josue (Vincius de Oliveira), stop by to send some angry words to the boy's estranged father. Shortly thereafter, Ana returns to revise the letter and make a plea for reconciliation. That day she is run over by a bus and killed instantly, leaving Josue all alone. Dora continues on and the boy, with no place to go, camps out at the station. He and Dora begin a volatile relationship. For a short time, she invites the lad to move in with her until she can handle him no longer and pawns him off on a couple who "pay" for kids. She buys a TV with the money, which makes her neighbourly chum, Irene (Marilla Pera), happy, but Dora soon regrets the decision and rescues the angry kid. From here, this film has "It Happened One Night" overtones with reversed roles. Dora sets out on a bustrip with Josue to take him "home" to his father in another town. She takes him about halfway, gets off the bus, and plans to let him go the rest of the way by himself. Instead, he also gets off the bus, stranding them both with no money, and forcing her to continue on the journey. Along the little odyssey, they hitch a ride with a friendly truck driver, steal food, and learn a great deal about themselves and each other. When they finally get to his father's home, they've created a bond of friendship that transcends age and loneliness. This is a story about friendship and love. It's about discovering your father (metaphorically and literally) and finding someone to keep you safe. The pains of alcoholism are a factor, too, since Josue's dad is rumoured to be a drunk. While Dora is no saint and she tends to push away every man she meets (including the trucker), she's a lonely woman who is simply trying to survive. Montenegro is solid and heart-felt in this role and, while the Academy probably won't give her the award, she's a distinguished nominee for Best Actress. She's the main reason to see "Central Station". In supporting roles, de Oliveira and Pera are pretty good, too, and provide comic relief. In fact, this movie knows when to crack a joke and when to tug at the heart. Director Walter Salles provides good balance with those aspects of the script and he uses the camera well. "Central Station" is a poetic movie, but it wouldn't be getting much recognition if not for Fernanda Montenegro. She is the backbone of this film chronicling the day-to-day hardships of Brazilian life for the under-privileged and unloved. And those darn sub-titles aren't so bad when the performances and story are sweet and agreeable.
USELESS TRIVIA--I have no useless trivia for this film.
This film gets a 7/10.
THE RYAN RATING SYSTEM SAYS... 10/10--absolutely outstanding 9/10--excellent 8/10--pretty darn good 7/10--sure, go on and give it a peek 6/10--so-so; ye ol' recommendation point 5/10--not quite worth the dollars 4/10--only if you have a free pass 3/10--don't go, PLEASE don't go 2/10--avoid even if you DO have a free pass 1/10--"Showgirls" territory; truly crappy 0/10--bang your head off a wall instead
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