Last Train to Freo

Five people on a train for an hour and a half, how good can it be? Well, considering my rating, I'd say pretty good. To tell you the truth, I just watched this because Gigi Edgley was in it (I love her), and my expectations weren't really that high. Just a few minutes in I was pretty sure I had nothing to worry about. With most movies nowadays (at least the ones that reach me) focusing on action and hi-tech stuff, this movie felt really refreshing. Even though it begins pretty light, with two guys just having fun (well, at least one of them) on the train, it gets increasingly darker and more complex with every minute. No one is really what they seem to be, and several plot twists were truly unexpected. As was the ending. Speaking of which, by the time you get there you'll have no idea what will happen. That's a feeling lacking in most contemporary movies. I mean, the good guys always win, right? But what if there is no good guy? No bad guy? Just people. Real people.

And if you're too lazy to read all that, then at least read this: Watch this movie. You'll be positively surprised. If not, send me an e-mail and I'll buy you a beer. Or something.

Diane and I watched this extraordinary film in Freo yesterday not far from where it reached its quiet conclusion. We were both completely absorbed in this filmed stage play meaning that the action was completed totally within the confines of a suburban train traveling through Perth from one end to another. Boring you might say and it could have easily been in the hands of less superb actors working with a far less substantial script.

I have rarely seen film that sustains visceral tension for its entire length: Pacino's Scarface did it but the overall result in my opinion was less tense than director Sims managed to sustain in this beauty. Again, in my opinion, the credit must be shared between Sims and the lead actor Steve Le Marquand. I can not say enough about Marquand's extraordinary performance. To be able to maintain a palpable sense of fear for the length of the entire movie is difficult and by so doing catapults the actor into a new realm of acting ability. Marquand had that acting ability to, in one instant act as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth and an instant later literally frighten the observer into believing that his actions include any possibility-scary stuff.

The secondary roles must be mentioned because as all artists know the canvas is nearly as important as the paint and the roles that Marquand played off could not have been better. They contributed through their own excellent acting to a canvas upon which this marvelous film could be painted.

Make every effort to see this gem-you will be amply rewarded.

I wasn't sure what to expect and originally watched this movie because I like just about anything with Gigi Edgley in it. I wasn't disappointed at all. This movie starts out in what seems a slow and sluggish way but the eventual twists and turns make it all worthwhile. It was an excellent character study piece. It really isn't a movie for the younger crowd because of the adult situations. But then, I guess compared to HollyWould movies this is rather tame. It is just that the acting and situations build to a crescendo towards the end and present the subject matter in a very visceral way. It will have you on the edge of your seat towards the end. The casting couldn't have been better, the acting was great, and the direction was excellent. It is a drama/thriller extraordinaire.

This is a hidden gem of a film, one that I sadly missed at the theatre. Shot entirely in one carriage of a suburban train with only a few characters, it is almost entirely driven by crackling dialogue - no doubt both a legacy of the story's origin as stage play.

The stand out of the film is a tour de force performance by Steve Le Marquand as the 'tall thug'. His swaggering, menacing, compelling performance is captivating to watch. He is well supported by Gigi Edgely who pulls off a difficult role with panache. The storyline twists and turns, and they mostly pull off what could easily have descended into farce.

It's really all about Le Marquand though, who provides his character with megawatts of charisma, and it's remarkable that this spellbinding performance has not seen him picked up for starring roles in larger films.

All in all an excellent film, well worth watching.

I saw this film the other day on a Qantas flight back to London from Sydney. If anyone has ever done the flight then you'll know how tedious it is, but I decided to explore some of the more obscure films that were provided and was rewarded with this little gem. Featuring only five characters and very little action, it manages to keep you hooked through great dialogue and interesting characters which are well acted. In fact, it is reminiscent of a Harold Pinter or Samuel Beckett play, bearing more than a few resemblances to "Waiting For Godot" and the like. It creates tension and keeps you guessing throughout through character development and conversation, rather than showy special effects and cheap thrills. At times it drags, but this is a minor flaw and overall it's well worth checking out, proving that there's more to Australian media than Neighbours and Home And Away. Good stuff