CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

mraculeated The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

mark.waltz I've always wondered why certain countries in this large planet of ours are never or seldomly reported on. You would have to pick up a major newspaper from every country on our planet to find out, on a daily basis, and have an incredible memory. In the case of Swiss professor Jeremy Irons, the chance encounter with a book leads him to Portugal where he finds the sister of the book's author and ends up involved in a mystery concerning the 1974 Carnation Revolution, disturbing several people who are still willing to share the memories, even though it is a past that they would rather forget.Veteran actress Charlotte Rampling plays the aging sister of the one time writer who became a hero to her years ago by saving her life, making her overprotective of him and controlling in her efforts to thank him. She's initially cool to him, but finds she can't stop talking about him, making Irons more determined to tie everything together.While the plot is extremely complex and the flashbacks take forever to reveal anything of consequence, the wait is worth it. The film certainly is majorly flawed, and there are definitely too many characters. But there is detail here that can't be missed, reminding us that the world around us has seen much horror, a lot of which we are unaware of. That makes this an interesting piece of education, even if much of it is fictional. Much of it reflects the truth once you get more involved and do your own research.

losindiscretoscine Based on the novel "Night Train to Lisbon" by the Swiss writer Pascal Mercier, this film, directed by the Danish Bille August, offers an international cast with actors from the USA, the UK, Germany, Sweden and France. The historical context (Salazar's dictatorship and his Estado Novo) provides a particular background to the story as the public witnesses how Raimund Gregorius finds a new sense to his life thanks to the adventures of the resistance of that period. Through several encounters and beautiful flashbacks, we gradually discover Amadeu de Prado's life, the charismatic Portuguese doctor and philosopher whose story awes the teacher. The poetry of the film does not only lie in the words of this fictitious author, but also in the fondness that Raimund feels for this man about whom he knows nothing but that changes his existence. The warm colours of Lisbon (that contrast with the cold colours of Bern) and the different characters give the film a certain singularity. It is both in the past and in the present that Raimund builds his new existence that, to some extent, is similar to Amadeu's. But, concerning love, the teacher does not take the same decisions and he no longer finds his reflection in Amadeu, whose tragedy moves us profoundly.

kckidjoseph-1 "Night Train to Lisbon," an especially engrossing 2013 film now appearing on Netflix, may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those hungry for a movie without flying cars that instead pulls you in with an unusual plot and thoughtful, incisive performances by an exceptionally capable cast, this one's for you.The film was nominated for six Sophia Awards _ the national film awards of Portugal _ including best picture, and won three, for best supporting actress (Beatrice Bartarda), best art direction and best make-up. Directed by Bille August ("Pelle the Conqueror"), "Night Train to Lisbon" was adapted from a philosophical novel by Swiss author Pascal Mercier.Mercier's quotations are spoken in voice-over by the film's protagonist, Raimund Gregorius, played by Oscar winner Jeremy Irons, a quiet, lonely classical studies professor working in Bern, Switzerland, who rescues a young woman about to leap off a bridge and after she disappears, finds himself on a quest to Lisbon, not only to find her but to fully understand the story of a doctor-turned-poet whose book he discovers in the pocket of the coat she leaves behind.The story isn't as dense or contrived as it sounds, thanks to the deft screenplay by Greg Latter and Ulrich Herrmann, and the uniform commitment to character and plot by Irons and a cast that includes veterans Tom Courtenay, Charlotte Rampling, Christpher Lee and Lena Olin. It's the kind of story that sucks us in because it's a kind of "getaway" piece: Who doesn't daydream in a Walter Mittyish way of getting away from it all and taking off on an historical detective story, which is what this is. Once in Portugal, Irons' Gregorius sets about on a quest for the author but instead finds his sister, Adriana (Rampling as the mature version, Batarda as the younger), and learns that Amadeu died in 1974 and that only 100 copies of his book were printed. The sister has six of the books and, wondering what happened to the rest, is delighted to find that her late brother's limited edition work found an audience beyond her country's borders. Thus, a tenuous but all-important bond is formed between the soft-spoken, insightful professor and the poet's sibling.The movie intersperses Raimund's investigation with flashbacks to a past in which we meet the young Amadeu (a superb Jack Huston), a member of the resistance to the dictatorship of António Salazar.Through Adriana, Raimund meets the priest (Lee) who taught Amadeu, Amadeu's best friend, Jorge (Bruno Ganz in the older version, August Diehl in the younger), and learns of Estefania (the fiery Mélanie Laurent), a resistance fighter who was Jorge's girlfriend until she met and fell instantly in love with the handsome Amadeu.After Raimund breaks his spectacles, he meets a sympathetic optician Mariana (Martina Gedeck) who by happenstance has an uncle named Joao (Courtenay as the elder version, Marco D'Almeida as the youthful one) who was also a member of the resistance and fills in the story. Late in the film, the strings of the plot are pulled together when Raimund finally meets the mature Estefania (a stunningly beautiful and completely believable Olin).As I said, "Night Train to Lisbon" isn't for everyone, especially for those accustomed to tons of action and instant gratification via computer wizardry and slam bang eye-for-an-eye retribution, but it did it for me. It's extraordinarily literate and sumptuously photographed to boot, and it's not a stretch to say it contains threads of David Lean's wonderful 1965 film version of "Doctor Zhivago," albeit on a much smaller scale.I was especially drawn to Irons' professor, a sensationally muted performance that holds the whole thing together.Since you'll probably be watching this in your living room, "Night Train to Lisbon" is rated R (under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian) for a scene of violence and brief sexuality (which really aren't all that bad).

phd_travel A teacher in Switzerland (Irons)saves a girl from jumping off a bridge. He reads a book she had and travels to Lisbon find out more about the author. There is a mild not quite mystery as the teacher delves into the life and death of the author.The good points of this movie are:The story isn't confusing even though a lot of it is told in flashbacks. The deliberate pace isn't boring.There is no unrealistic twist so things are more believable.The casting of the old and young versions of the characters is very good and sometimes they even look alike. It's easy to tell who is who.The repression of the dictatorship isn't over done. One torture scene is all you need for emphasis. The actors bother to have a faint Portuguese accent. The acting is good. Jeremy Irons is suited to this role - not too bumbling if a tad old for the hinted romance. Charlotte Rampling as the author's sister is more vulnerable looking than usual and quite effective. Melanie Laurent as the author's love interest is well cast with dark hair to look more Portuguese and her diction is surprisingly lucid. Jack Huston of Boardwalk Empire is quite suited to the role with a face that seems to fit flashbacks. This is a good movie with good actors and an interesting story. Worth watching.