Film Gate Reviews: Stuck Between Stations: Movie Review

A relationship drama about the characters and what they have to say.

Not too often do small, indie, unknown films come along and engage you with dialogue, only dialogue. That’s what makes “Stuck Between Stations” such a good movie. There isn’t really a story as it just meanders along with two semi- directionless people on one night with parties and conversations. The trailer suggested there was a mysterious element, but none to be found. Rebecca and Casper connect and reconnect and we connect with them on a very meaningful and personal level.		2011 Directed by: Brady Kiernan Screenplay by: Sam Rosen, Nat Bennett Starring: Zoe Lister Jones, Sam Rosen and Josh Hartnett
Rebecca (Zoe Lister Jones) is smart, extremely beautiful, but most likely rotten at making decisions. She’s a comparative literature doctoral student, having an affair with her married professor, and hanging out at bars with her low-life friends. Casper (Sam Rosen) is a soldier on leave from Afghanistan and dealing with the fact that he doesn’t care that his father just died. They are obviously both lonely and at this crossroads in their life even though there is no physical or even metaphorical crossroads. They both have a life to go back to. They realize that they went to elementary school and high school together, and she was his dream girl. Once that is revealed there is a romantic chemistry that helps pull the film along. It’s also the smart, funny dialogue that keeps the film moving. I was completely captivated with what they were saying and couldn’t wait to hear what they would say next. Each line would either be funny, silly, or dramatic, revealing or insightful. Or all of the above. It’s the type of movie where the characters were likely crafted first, then put into a story, which is then spelled out with dialogue. Except in this case, there really isn’t much of a story. The discerning dialogue reveals the entire background of both main characters throughout the film. It’s only funny in the sense that they say things that make you laugh; it’s dramatic in how real, touching, and serious or depressing their situations could be. It is romantic but whether or not they kiss is completely irrelevant to their relationship and what we get out of their relationship.