L' Homme du Train (The Man on the Train) (2002)

92% of critics liked it
(109 reviews)
78% of users liked it
(4,600 ratings)

Two men from two different walks of life develop an unexpected friendship in French director Patrice Leconte's 2002 comedy-drama The Man on the Train. Weary from his trip and in anticipation of the heist he's about to perform, Milan (French rock star Johnny Hallyday) steps off the train after… More Two men from two different walks of life develop an unexpected friendship in French director Patrice Leconte's 2002 comedy-drama The Man on the Train. Weary from his trip and in anticipation of the heist he's about to perform, Milan (French rock star Johnny Hallyday) steps off the train after arriving in the small town where he's to meet his co-conspirators and heads straight to the town pharmacy. After accidentally buying the wrong product, Milan makes the acquaintance of retired teacher Manesquier (Jean Rochefort), who offers to help the traveler and then promptly begins talking ad nauseum. Milan, after paying partial attention to the old man's ramblings, excuses himself to find accommodations -- only to run into Manesquier once more after learning that the hotel has closed for the night. As the two men talk, they develop a respect for one another, as well as a secret longing to live the type of lifestyle the other man lives based on the desire to escape their own. The Man on the Train gained positive notice after being selected for competition in the 2002 Venice Film Festival, as well as for the 2002 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Patrice Leconte
Written By: Claude Klotz
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: May 9, 2003 Limited
On DVD: Nov 25, 2003
Studio: Paramount Classics

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Each actor comes to perfectly embody his character.
Jan Stuart, Newsday
Patrice Leconte's fanciful odd-couple drama oozes flavorful, provincial atmosphere.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Your typical buddy film that's been executed in an entirely atypical way.
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
It is a perfected fable flashing across a screen.
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
The actors couldn't be more perfect.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
The movie has the kind of texture and depth that will make true movie-lovers sigh with the pure cinematic, human grace of it all.
Jay Antani, Cinema Writer
Laconte's direction is calculative all the way, but his telling fails to register very much.
Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer
You get the feeling you are watching the adaptation of a classic novel, when in fact the script is an original work of impressive poetry and unpredictable dialogue...
Mark Sells, Oregon Herald
An exceptionally crafted western dream.
Kurt Dahlke, Apollo Guide
A good looking, but bare bones release.
Kurt Dahlke, Apollo Guide
Thought-provoking, tender and funny, far better than your average 'one last score' film.
Matt Kelemen, Las Vegas CityLife
Although Leconte leads his characters to a baffling conclusion, he creates a satisfying portrayal of two old would-be cowboys heading for what could be the last roundup
Mark Robison, Reno Gazette-Journal
It's a poetic and keenly observed story.
Daniel M. Kimmel, Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Lacking the sweep of The Widow of St. Pierre and the audacity of The Girl on the Bridge, here Leconte seems to be working on a character sketch...
Christopher Tookey, Daily Mail [UK]
Bleak, blue lighting and washed out colours emphasise the wintriness of the tale; but there isn't nearly enough dramatic conflict to sustain this to feature length.
Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
It's nice to see a film about the regrets of old age that doesn't resort to Grumpy Old Men-style humor or cheap action sequences.
Christopher Smith, Bangor Daily News (Maine)
A collision of cultures--a movie in love with movies, literature, poetry and music, but not to the point of worship or distraction.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Bob S

A very delicate film, but it works.
Anthony L

Two extremely good actors producing two extremely good performances. This is a fantastic story of envy, friendship and regret. Its brilliant!
Nate Z

[center][font=Arial][color=darkred][img]http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/4116/photo016pn.jpg[/img][/color][/font][/center] [font=Arial][color=darkred][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]A dark stranger gets off a train in France. He has piercing blue eyes and a weathered… More
[center][font=Arial][color=darkred][img]http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/4116/photo016pn.jpg[/img][/color][/font][/center] [font=Arial][color=darkred][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]A dark stranger gets off a train in France. He has piercing blue eyes and a weathered face with a machine-like expression. This man is Milan (Johnny Hallyday) and he?s stopping by this small French town for a new job. Oh, Milan?s business is robbing banks. In this small village he befriends a garrulous retired poetry teacher, Monsieur Manesquie (Jean Rochefort). The two men spend their time wishing they had the life of the other. Milan openly seeks a comfortable life surrounded by books. Monsieur Manesquie is a huge fan of Clint Eastwood movies and longs for some action in his life. He secretly dreams of one day robbing a bank just for the fun of it.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]So, an interesting start for a film, right? Sure. But this IS the movie. ?The Man on the Train? is a middling character experiment. The two men rub off each other, with Milan teaching a young boy the wonders of poetry, and Monsieur Manesquie learning how to properly fire a gun. The scenes are nice and both actors are splendid (especially French rocker Hallyday) but the film is one long muddled and meandering trip until our inevitable climax. The ending feels needlessly open-ended and a tad clumsy. There?s also a subplot featuring a young mistress for Monsieur Manesquie that sticks out like a sore thumb.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]?The Man on the Train? is a well shot and well acted film but it only feels like the first half of a movie. I?m sure plenty of people out there will appreciate the character nuances and small moments, but this is a film completely driven by small moments that never add up to anything larger. Maybe ?The Man on the Train? just isn?t for me. Or maybe I need to just wait for the second half, if it ever gets made.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate's Grade: C+[/color][/font]