L'uomo della stazione

Parts of this movie are really enjoyable, but the end result is so disappointing, I can't recommend The Railway Station Man. The upside is Julie Christie. She's so adorable in this movie, from her spunky personality to her cozy knit socks, from her plaid skirts to her swing dancing. Had her character been placed in a different, more even story, I'd want to watch more movies about her. She raises her son alone, after her husband was killed in a tragic mistaken identity shooting, and it's no wonder she catches the attention of most folks in her small, Irish town. With her son grown, she feels free to seek out more than just her hobby painting for fun. She meets the badly crippled railway station man, Donald Sutherland, and they hit it off. Will her son understand her need for romance? And will her son be safe, as he starts to get involved with the wrong crowd?

If I were to ascribe one word to this movie, it would be uneven. There's full frontal male nudity as John Lynch prances around in the ocean, an unexplained thaw in Donald's coldness towards Julie, an unexplained chill after Julie decides she likes Donald, a strange flirtation with her son's friend, and random IRA violence. And why is Donald continually cast in movies where he's supposed to be British? In this one, he has artificial red hair but no trace of an accent. Again, why? But Julie is cute as a button with wonderful energy. If I lived in that town, I would love to be her friend!