Stuck Between Stations

It's not too often that small, indie, unknown films come along and engage you with dialogue. Only dialogue. And that's what makes "Stuck Between Stations" such a good movie. There isn't really a story as it just meanders along with two semi-directionless people on one night with parties and conversations. The trailer suggested there was a mysterious element, but none of that was to be found. But Rebecca and Casper connect and reconnect and we connect with them on a very meaningful and personal level.

Rebecca (Zoe Lister Jones) is smart, extremely beautiful, but most likely rotten at making decisions. She's a comparative literature doctoral student, having an affair with her married professor, and hanging out at bars with her low-life friends. Casper (Sam Rosen) is a soldier on leave from Afghanistan and dealing with the fact that he doesn't care that his father just died. They are obviously both lonely and at this crossroads in their life even though there is no physical or even metaphorical crossroads. They both have a life to go back to.

They realize that they went to elementary school and high school together, and she was his dream girl. Once that is revealed there is a romantic chemistry that helps pull the film along. It's also the smart, funny dialogue that keeps the film moving. I was completely captivated with what they were saying and couldn't wait to hear what they would say next. Each line would either be funny, silly, or dramatic, revealing or insightful. Or all of the above.

It's the type of movie where the characters were likely crafted first, then put into a story, which is then spelled out with dialogue. Except in this case, there really isn't much of a story. The discerning dialogue reveals the entire background of both main characters throughout the film. It's only funny in the sense that they say things that make you laugh; it's dramatic in how real, touching, and serious or depressing their situations could be. It is romantic but whether or not they kiss is completely irrelevant to their relationship and what we get out of their relationship.

I was forced to watch this snore fest by my girlfriend who wanted to see it because Josh Hartnet is in it. He appears a third of the way through for a total of 3 minutes. He is utterly boring, in keeping with the boring direction, dialog, and lack of action the producer and director of this "movie" seem to be hell bent on subjecting us to. My girlfriend was so bored she quit watching after Hartnet's useless character disappeared. (Josh was probably too bored to continue). If you want to see boring people saying and doing boring things (at least for the half of the movie I saw), or, if you have misplaced your sleeping pills and need to become comatose quickly, this movie is for you. Seriously, we are forced to watch people saying and doing things that would be boring to us if we did them ourselves in real life. We get to watch people go to 3 or 4 bars and play video games! We get to see people ride bikes! A half hour of my life I'll never get back. Now I'm off to watch the Japanese film Hausu, a really GREAT movie!

Stuck Between Stations is a simple yet effective film that is definitely a mood. It takes place over the span of one night where we follow a soldier who is at home but getting ready to be deployed again. He runs into a high school acquaintance at a bar who he used to be attracted to and a little bit obsessed with, and the rest of the film is us following them through their night. The film moves at a steady pace and has a soothing quality about it. It's an extremely easy watch. During the night they encounter old friends of theirs. The soldiers friends bring up issues with his life decisions and the morality of being a tool for the military industrial complex and corporations while committing atrocities abroad, yet everyone is cordial and things are friendly during these discussions. It eventually becomes evident that the soldier is suffering from early signs of PTSD and begins to question his life decisions by the end of the film. He does everything he can to avoid the topic in detail, until he eventually opens up about his feelings. All that being said, this is just the backdrop to an otherwise light-hearted movie. Conversations are had over past traumas and just life in general. It invokes some sense of nostalgia in that it gets you to think about your own life choices and goals and what not, but not in a heavy handed way at all. It is a very sweet film and has a feel good quality about it that is reminiscent to films such as 'The Sunrise-Sunset-Midnight' trilogy. If you are easily "bored" and not a fan of methodically paced and simple films, then this won't be for you. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this and would recommend it.

I almost passed on this film based on the movie trailer which was interesting, but didn't really grab me. Luckily, this is one of those films where the movie is actually far better than the trailer. The writing was realistic, the banter is entertaining without being precious or too-clever, and the characters were engaging. Altogether, this movie was charming and surprising. It managed to avoid the pitfalls of the genre (one night shot at romance)through solid writing and great casting. The Minneapolis setting is also unique because I had not seen that side of the city before. I saw this in the DUMBO area of Brooklyn at ReRun Gastropub Theatre which I credit as a wonderful venue, but No matter how you view it, check out this lovely film. You are unlikely to be disappointed.

(2011) Stuck Between Stations DRAMA

Opens with a very blatant beginning, but as soon as the two main characters meet the rest is all smooth sailing. It's like watching a Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise" movie, but better since the two main characters never go anywhere extravagant nor do they have as much opinions about important issues. Meaning, no one don't need to go to another place they had never go anywhere such as Paris or Greece in order to have a good time. Actually, it's like the most authentic variation about a little reunion. It stars Sam Rosen who also co-wrote the movie along with Nat Bennett. He plays Casper, who's just come back to Minneapolis for something viewers don't quite know what until much later. At the same time, Rebecca (Zoe Lister Jones) but is called "Becky" for short is scrounging around looking for something at an office. By chance both characters eventually see each other at a bar, which what could've been a misunderstood bar fight. We then see Casper leaving the bar, sitting by himself outside. Rebecca then decides to return the baseball cap Casper left behind assuming that he'd still be around and is able to catch up with him. As soon as the two meet, and at first she doesn't seem to recognize him, he finally reminds her who he was and who she used to be. And we come to learn that both of them used to be classmates except that she as well as him had both changed from the last time they had saw each other since they're ten or more years older. This 'authentic' and natural exchange should be something everybody no matter who you are should be able to identify with, without the use of social media as well as relate to as we grow older. I have to say, this has to be one of the best 'reunion' films I had ever encountered and it's intentions are not the same as let's say "The Big Chill" or any other class reunion films, as both of them converse with one another how the other one had changed -it seems very natural and harmless. Each of them also went to spots the other one would not have gone to which is like an example of getting out of your comfort zone moment(s) since Casper has just come back temporarily just so he can go to a funeral, while Becky is trying to retrieve her computer, and both of them are helping the other one out. Actors, Josh Hartnett and "The Sopranos" star Michael Imperioli also star with minor roles.