A mysterious criminal rolls into a small town planning to knock off the local bank, assuming it will go off without a hitch. But when he encounters a retired poetry professor, his plans take an unlikely turn. With no place to stay, the professor generously welcomes him into his home. As the two men talk, a bond forms between these two polar opposites, and surprising moments of humor and compassion emerge. As they begin to understand each other more, they each examine the choices they've made in their lives, secretly longing to live the type of lifestyle the other man has lived, based on the desire to escape their own.
Similar titles
Reviews
Fantastic!
When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.
It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.
This is a two Character Story about regret and missed opportunities and is fleshed out with a bouncy Performance from Sutherland with Rock Star Mullen standing in for the Role of the Professor's Polar Opposite. Mullen doesn't embarrass Himself with the Face of a road weary Soul, drained of energy and Life itself. But He really does nothing more than stand around, or sit around listening to "Words of Wisdom" with barely a reaction. This is not Acting it is showing up.This is a delicate Movie with Literary Quotes and What If? contemplations strolling along to a somewhat Metaphysical Conclusion. It is interesting and is engaging enough for this sort of Stuff about a gentile Egghead and a tough and smart Born Loser.Not the kind of Film for everyone and not the kind of Film that is on anyone's Best List. It is a Diversion, a way to escape from all the typical Hollywood Fare. This one is Laid Back and is couched in a Verbal rather than Visceral Style that is easy to like, but maybe just a little too aloof to Love.
I had no idea what to expect - I was sitting around checking out the new cable TV offerings and this came up. I was immediately caught up in this wacky little story (the path not taken, trading places, etc.). It's very low key for sure but that's a refreshing change of pace as far as I am concerned. The professor was a bit overly quirky (the nutty professor?) but still, if you accept it, it makes the movie that much more enjoyable. I did not know that the "thief" was a U2 member - and I am glad I didn't know - I may have pre-judged the performance. I thought he was terrific - his character had fewer lines than Southerland but he definitely has an on screen presence that is engaging (I thought he must be some stage actor transitioning to movies because I'd never seen him before and I do see a lot of movies). I am surprised to see negative reviews. Yes, the ending was a bit confusing but then it all comes together. One of the more interesting movies I've seen in a quite a while. Worth watching for sure.
Donald Sutherland, accomplished actor, co-stars with Larry Mullen, Jr., neophyte actor, to complete a re-make of the French film L'homme Du Train from 2002. Not having seen the original, I cannot compare the two films. I can, however, tell you that this 2011 version is wonderful!Donald Sutherland plays an optimistic, always friendly, if not a little quirky, professor in a small town named Orangeville located in Anywhere, North America. It's a small, trusting town which, with its lack of security, invites a criminal and his thugs to town to rob the bank. The bank robber is played by Larry Mullen, Jr., of U2 fame. He's quietly mysterious and is welcomed as the house guest of the professor. These two men couldn't be any more of polar opposites. Despite their differences, the two seem to admire one another and become friends over the subsequent days prior to the bank robbery and the professor's upcoming surgery. I was continually trying to figure out what the professor knew and why he had befriended this obvious ne'er-do-well. Only in the end, was I able to figure this out. Both Sutherland and Mullen were superb. The story line had me hooked from the beginning and constantly reeled me in until the credits rolled.I loved this movie. The two main characters were realistically portrayed and I rooted for each of them. The story, direction, and acting were wonderful. Sutherland continually giving quality performances and Mullen giving us a successful first! This sweet and charming movie is well worth seeing!
The concept is interesting... a mysterious man shows up on a train and strikes up an unlikely friendship with a lonely old retired professor. He starts to case a bank for a heist, and you begin to think that maybe the professor is in on it.But then the film just bogs down. The slow pace must be intended to convey depth and ponderous sentiment, but instead it just ends up being boring. For a movie about a bank heist, there's almost no tension, just a lot of long pauses and close ups of Donald Sutherland and Larry Mullen Jr. And maybe I'm just dense, but I have no idea what happened at the end - is that the point? There are countless hidden references to literature that I must be missing, but it just isn't worth the effort. Not to mention the terribly inaccurate portrayal of surgery - they could at least have gotten the anesthesia right, and no hospital in the world would respond to a code that way. Bummer... I was hoping I'd discovered a sleeper gem.
Top Streaming Movies
