The Station Agent

A grieving housewife exploring her artistic side; a lonely dwarf trying to find his place in society; a warm-hearted young man stranded in New Jersey to care for his ailing father. While the above may sound like the recipe for a Saturday Night Live sketch, it in fact it describes the three main characters in Thomas McCarthy's feel-good Sundance hit The Station Agent. And as wince-inducing as its plot summary may sound, the performances of stars Patricia Clarkson (the housewife), Peter Dinklage (the dwarf), and Bobby Cannavale (the young man) elevate it above even the most sugar-coated moments.

The Station Agent is by no means a great film, nor the sort that will resonate with you for years to come. At the most, it can take credit for rescuing dwarves from the punchline status they have attained in recent films such as Austin Powers and Elf (ironically, Dinklage's appearance in the latter film reinforces this stereotype). Yet given the crop of studio dreck that's being crammed down our throats this holiday season, one could find a far worse way to spend 90 minutes. In addition, the film's lack of a conventionally happy ending prevents it from the descent into sappiness that has marred other indie efforts.

Although Clarkson and Dinklage have rightfully been drawing praise for their heartfelt performances as two outsiders unable to grasp the world around them, Cannavale's easygoing charm should not go overlooked. As Joe, a ferociously gregarious young man forced to bide his time at his father's hot dog stand during the elder man's illness, he radiates warmth and charisma, pulling out all stops to befriend the taciturn dwarf and depressed artist. As a result, the bond eventually forged between the three seems natural and unforced, and it is to this movie's credit that it is able to maintain such a realistic vibe.