American films are criticized, often rightly so, for the casual use of violence to get a cheap rise out of the audience. Even worthwhile plots descend to trite chases or fight sequences for the sake of a big action climax. A case in point was the 1990 blockbuster HOME ALONE, whose
saccharine storyline was capped by a slapstick siege that many commentators felt bordered on sadism.
But slouching toward bedlam is by no means exclusive to Hollywood. The Italian production THE STATION starts off as a compact and poignant comedy-drama of human nature, then takes a dismaying 180-degree turn into a skull-cracking thriller to reach its resolution. Call it "Train Station ...
Released:
1990
Rated:
NR
Length:
91 mins