(Rated 6/5 )
Having given ’12 Years a
Slave’ – seen last Sunday – a 6/5, ‘The Railwayman’ has to have at least the
same. And maybe actually a little more for having a life-affirming resolution,
but then again that would be biased – life so often does not resolve for people
in such a special and therapeutic way as it did for Lomax, and someone else!,
in this film and so to give it more marks would be like to penalise the truth
and insult the experience and awful pain for those for whom it does not. So no,
another 6/5 for ‘The Railwayman’. But a note that its ending is more satisfying
and in comparison does make the ‘postscript’ for the characters in ’12 Years’
all the more painful and possibly anger-inducing. This film is no easier to
watch though and I found myself screeching in horror at one particular scene of
torture. But I’m ahead of myself – haven’t even explained anything about it!
This is the story of railway enthusiast – as he calls himself Eric Lomax (Colin
Firth (older) and Jeremy Irvine (younger)), a soldier in the army during the
second world war, who is captured, along with comrades, by the Japanese and
subjected to barbaric torture by them, via ‘translator’ Nagase (Hiroyuki Sanada
(older) and Tanroh Ishida (younger)), in an attempt to abstract a confession
from him when there was actually nothing he could confess to! The irony is
painful – what he goes through, in essence due to his interest in the railways
and a desire he and his comrades have to hear friendly voices from their
homeland, is beyond unreasonable, beyond barbaric. If he’d actually been a spy
maybe there would be an excuse! ‘The Railwayman’ is a very satisfyingly structured
film. It opens as Lomax meets Patricia Wallace (Nicole Kidman) both passengers
on a train and they fall in love. This is so gorgeously performed by the two of
them – such an easy connection. In a lovely sequence their relationship rapidly
heads to marriage and soon after we start to see Lomax’s symptoms of PTSD
strike. His new wife wishes to help – in spite of the abuse he subjects her to
as a result – and so we follow Lomax’s journey in flashback and onwards.
Psychotherapists will adore this film! And anyone interested in the process of
how those who majorly challenge us can become so dear and loved in our lives. I
so want to say more but reviews are meant to entice you to wish to see it for
yourselves and not spoil it so I shall resist temptation. Jeremy Irvine as
younger Lomax is so cute and reflects Colin Firth’s performance superbly. Colin
Firth and Nicole Kidman exhibit their true mastery of the acting art yet again
as though it’s as easy as breathing.
I said ’12 Years’ was
important to see. I’d label this one as ‘must-see’ J
Barbican Cinema2 – very
comfortable with very nice red leather seats!
The Railwayman – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2014
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