A signalman at a remote train station in the heartland of Japan receives news that the job he has laboured at all his life is coming to an end as the train company have decided his station is uneconomic and are set to close it soon. Facing an uncertain future and recently widowed, the signalman takes solace from the past; the past that he increasingly comes to realise was laden with the wrong priorities. (Source: AsianWiki) ~~ Adapted from the novel "Railroad Worker" (鉄道員) by Asada Jiro (浅田次郎). Edit Translation
- English
- 中文(台灣)
- magyar / magyar nyelv
- dansk
Cast & Credits
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![Takakura Ken in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)]( "Takakura Ken in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)")
Takakura Ken Main Role -
![Otake Shinobu in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)]( "Otake Shinobu in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)")
Otake Shinobu Main Role -
![Ando Masanobu in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)]( "Ando Masanobu in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)")
Ando MasanobuYoshioka ToshiyukiSupport Role -
![Yoshioka Hidetaka in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)]( "Yoshioka Hidetaka in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)")
Yoshioka HidetakaHideo SugiuraSupport Role -
![Shimura Ken in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)]( "Shimura Ken in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)")
Shimura KenYoshioka HajimeSupport Role -
![Tate Mayuko in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)]( "Tate Mayuko in Railroad Man Japanese Movie (1999)")
Tate MayukoRyokowSupport Role
Reviews
This review may contain spoilers
What is a lived life?
It is quite apparent the movie was adapted from a novel, and a well-known novel at that, given the simplicity of the plot.A story about one man’s principles and work ethic, his regrets and how his choices in life impacted on those dearest and nearest to him. A small, quiet, intimate and beautifully made film with subtle layers to its themes. That said, it was also very straightforward, as befitting a story with such subject matters.
The ending, as it was, did not come as a surprise as much as it was expected.
A movie you watch for the questions it brings to the table about what constitutes a life, that ever constant fact of life, change, and the struggles therein. There is no doubt why the novel it was based on was a modern classic. The themes touched on showed that clearly.
The film was not attempting to wow, and did not have any pretensions to such, and in that, I appreciated its honesty, just like the themes it wanted to convey to the audience. Simple yet thought provoking, and crucially, an emotional experience.
I would say this is a good film for its genre, if nothing remarkable. Worth a watch for an understanding of one aspect of the human condition. One with a Japanese flavour, poignant and evocative.
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