Night Train to Lisbon

Night Train to Lisbon (2013)

A remarkable movie, with shades of magic and threads of a true national angst still resolving in contemporary Portugal. I just returned from a visit there and can sense some vestige of another era in the buildings, but not in the people. The era of dictatorship is no longer visible to the tourist.

But that is the meat of the movie, set after Salazar's long reign, and with the aftermath of memories and lost ones still mourned. But it's all told (based on a novel by a Swiss writer) as if in a dream, or in an individual's search through imprecise information and people who don't always talk about it the way you might expect. It's a series of small surprises, elegantly wrought.

So in all these ways it's a powerful movie. It's small and intimate, however, not an epic about this great turning point in Portuguese history. In a way it's appropriate, because I found the people there less exuberant and more contemplative than the Spaniards next door. There are always a million reasons for such things—climate, outside cultural influences, etc.—but it's so true that the movie is actually terribly honest. It reveals the truth, in little facets, and never complete.

The star certainly is Jeremy Irons, who plays the leading role with tenderness and quiet certitude. He's terrific, and perfect for this part. Also appearing is Charlotte Rampling who has a knack for small, odd, but critical roles in offbeat movies. The cast is wide, and in the many flashbacks the characters gradually intersect in different ways, revealing their personal connections to the political strife of the times.

Good stuff? Excellent stuff! I liked it more than I expected to. It's slow at times, and maybe (if you are not paying attention) a hair confusing, but give it a go if you are inclined at all. A serious, brooding but not depressing drama about, in the end, relationship. As all the best movies are.

This is an Europudding co-produced by Germany/Switzerland/Portugal , it deals with Raimund Gregorius (Jeremy Irons) , a Swiss Professor, abandons his lectures and buttoned-down life to embark on a thrilling adventure that will take him on a journey to the very heart of himself . Having saved an enticing Portuguese girl from leaping to her death, Gregorius stumbles upon an attractive novel by a Portuguese author, as he figures out the destination of a certain writer named Amadeu (Jack Huston) , a doctor and poet who fought against Portuguese dictator Antonio de Oliveira Salazar. When he arrived in Lisboa , he was welcomed by the writer's sister (Charlotte Rampling) and learned that Amadeu was a medic . Then , he was hit by a man riding a bicycle and smashed . On the day he took his new glasses, the optician (Martina Gedeck) told him that her uncle knew Amadeu well and would like to talk to him . Her uncle, João Eça, (Tom Courtenay) was in the resistance against Salazar dictatorship together with Amadeu . Gregorius acts as an investigator, pulling together pieces of a puzzle that involves suspense , twists and the highest possible stakes to lead unexpected consequences .

It is a correct adaptation based on the international best selling novel written by Pascal Mercier from the award winning director Billie August . This moving film contains suspense , plot twists , a love story , thrills , emotional intrigue and political events . This is a thought-provoking film proceeded in real sense and high sensibility . Though rather existential and thinky, it is ultimately charming . Director Billie August brings out the story through a series of flashbacks . Each flashback is a piece of the puzzle, framing the story and slowly filling in the center until the final piece unsatisfyingly drops into place to resolve the whole . The flashback technique has been used and re-used from ¨Citizen Kane¨ (1941), known by some as the best movie of all time, it gave the world the first plot device by means of flashbacks , following to ¨The Godfather¨ and recently ¨The hours¨ until today we are faced with ¨Night Train to Lisbon¨ (2013), a film destined for repeated use as schedule filling on inventory-building, loved by some attracted by the name of Jeremy Irons and ignored by everyone else . Very good acting from Jeremy Irons as an aging Swiss professor of classical languages , Jack Huston a young Amadeu , gorgeous Melanie Laurent as a mysterious revolutionary girl , Martina Gedeck as Mariana and August Diehl as Young Jorge O'Kelly . Furthermore , the veterans Tom Courtenay , Lena Olin and Bruno Ganz . And special mention to Charlotte Rampling , though Vanessa Redgrave was originally cast for the role of Adriana De Prado, however Rampling replaced her.

The motion picture was well directed by Billie August who repeats similar formula to ¨House of the spirits¨ as German production , Lisboa filming , international cast and Jeremy Irons as main starring . Twice winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for Pelle the conqueror (1987) and The best intentions (1992) , Billie August is an expert on literary adaptations such as ¨Les Miserables¨, ¨Smilla's Sense of Snow¨ , ¨House of the spirits¨, ¨Marie Kroyer¨, ¨Jerusalem¨ and this ¨Night Train to Lisbon¨ . Rating : Better than average , worthwhile watching . The picture will appeal to Jeremy Irons fans .

I found this movie more like a great book, the pace was such that you could synchronize with the dialogue and think about what was going on. I was only vaguely aware that there had been a dictatorship in Portugal during the 70s so this was an important revelation. I did know that Portugal was slowly pulling out of its various foreign colonial possessions, as most European powers did after World War II.

I could not help thinking of there being a connection between Amadeu de Prado and the world famous Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa. The shots of Lisbon are wonderful, the beautiful harbour and hilly narrow streets. I could imagine Vasco da Gama's fleet leaving the port during Portugal's period of world exploration. The acting was superb, Jeremy Irons was the perfect Prof. On the surface absent minded and intellectual, but in practice, seizing the moment with an iron courage to probe the truth no matter where it led, but with a sense of humour knowing that nothing in life is all black or white. Martina Gedeck was so believable and you like her more and more with each shot. Tom Courtney's performance as João Eça was amazing but scary when you realize what happens to ordinary people during extraordinary times.

Many themes are encountered such as friendship, betrayal, and life as a chaotic process without any divine guidance. My hope is at the end of the film our professor needed a second adjustment for his new glasses.

I should start by saying if you're older (say 45 or more) you should definitely check out this movie. It has some lines in it that are extraordinary and it's worth seeing just for those nuggets. This is one of those movies that talks to you at a personal level. I don't want to describe too much of it because that would ruin the whole point.

But, I will say...

The director moves you along at such a perfect pace that you almost feel like you're floating. The topics aren't casual but he hovers over them at just the right height.

The acting is right on the money, it suits the movie perfectly, no one is out of step.

The story moves seamlessly between past and present, you won't feel a bump anywhere. It's true, the movie is multi-layered, but the straight up story is more than enough.

And the ending is perfect for this type of movie.

It really is worth the watch, but as I mentioned you might need to be a little older to really...

A good story with a good cast, told in a nice way for everyone to feel, experience and ask himself questions about life. Life as encounters, as crashes and as sharing - sharing moments, sharing places, sharing memories.

A friend says: "Only the people that are alive and have the memory of you can be the true witnesses of your existence on Earth, otherwise - have we been really alive?!...".

You meet people every day in your life, but it is just when you collide with them - voluntarily or not, when they share their life with you and you share yours with them.

I encourage you to take this train. Its worth it! :)