In Bern, Switzerland, a professor (Jeremy Irons) has a chance encounter that lures him to temporarily abandon his life and take the mode of transportation from the film's title. Once in Lisbon, he researches the life of an author whose book intrigued him so much to encourage him to take this adventure. The book's author had been involved in the Portuguese resistance movement against the country's dictatorship in the early 1970s. Much of the story of the past is told in flashback.
"Night Train to Lisbon " falls into the category of 'Euro pudding'. It takes place in Switzerland, Portugal, and Spain; it was directed by a Dane (Bille August), It was produced by three countries (Germany, Portugal, and Switzerland); and has actors from all of those countries as well as Great Britain, France, and Sweden, all speaking English - most of them doing so in a Portuguese accent. While this may seem inauthentic, the plus-side is the collection of many renowned European actors of long-time experience appear in this film including Irons, Martina Gedeck, Bruno Ganz, Christopher Lee, Lena Olin, Tom Courtenay, and Charlotte Rampling.
The film has many good points including the cast. The on-location shooting in Lisbon is beautiful and an intriguing setback for the two stories. There is also a good lesson in Portuguese history that is rarely told in film.
The best part of the film is the modern story between the professor and an optician (Gedeck) he meets when he needs new eyeglasses. Their conversations reflect the human need to find something deeper in the day-to-day modern life. There are also many beautiful quotations from the book that reflect this.
The story of the past is good too but it loses traction once there is adultery and betrayal among the revolutionaries. There is a feeling this has been done before. At this point, the film is starting to feel too long and the fine style exceeds the substance.
It might have been more interesting to have had more of the story of between the professor and the optician and their reflections of the lives that have brought them to their current situation. At the very least, the wonderfully ambiguous ending between these two is a delight. - dbamateurcritic.
"Night Train to Lisbon " falls into the category of 'Euro pudding'. It takes place in Switzerland, Portugal, and Spain; it was directed by a Dane (Bille August), It was produced by three countries (Germany, Portugal, and Switzerland); and has actors from all of those countries as well as Great Britain, France, and Sweden, all speaking English - most of them doing so in a Portuguese accent. While this may seem inauthentic, the plus-side is the collection of many renowned European actors of long-time experience appear in this film including Irons, Martina Gedeck, Bruno Ganz, Christopher Lee, Lena Olin, Tom Courtenay, and Charlotte Rampling.
The film has many good points including the cast. The on-location shooting in Lisbon is beautiful and an intriguing setback for the two stories. There is also a good lesson in Portuguese history that is rarely told in film.
The best part of the film is the modern story between the professor and an optician (Gedeck) he meets when he needs new eyeglasses. Their conversations reflect the human need to find something deeper in the day-to-day modern life. There are also many beautiful quotations from the book that reflect this.
The story of the past is good too but it loses traction once there is adultery and betrayal among the revolutionaries. There is a feeling this has been done before. At this point, the film is starting to feel too long and the fine style exceeds the substance.
It might have been more interesting to have had more of the story of between the professor and the optician and their reflections of the lives that have brought them to their current situation. At the very least, the wonderfully ambiguous ending between these two is a delight. - dbamateurcritic.