L' Homme du Train (The Man on the Train) poster & wallpaper
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Jean Rochefort, Johnny Hallyday, Jean-François Stévenin, Charlie Nelson, Pascal Parmentier ... see more see more... , Isabelle Petit-Jacques , Edith Scob , Maurice Chevit , Riton Liebman , Helene Chambon , Jean-Louis Vey , Sébastien Bonnet , Armand Chagot , Jean-Jacques Cornillon , Elsa Duclot , Sophie Durand , Olivier Fauron , Alain Guellaff , Veronique Kapoyan , Michel Laforest , Véronique Kapoian , Jean-Jacques Cormillon

Two men from two different walks of life develop an unexpected friendship in French director Patrice Leconte's 2002 comedy-drama The Man on the Train. Weary from his trip and in anticipation of the he... read more read more...ist he's about to perform, Milan (French rock star Johnny Hallyday) steps off the train after arriving in the small town where he's to meet his co-conspirators and heads straight to the town pharmacy. After accidentally buying the wrong product, Milan makes the acquaintance of retired teacher Manesquier (Jean Rochefort), who offers to help the traveler and then promptly begins talking ad nauseum. Milan, after paying partial attention to the old man's ramblings, excuses himself to find accommodations -- only to run into Manesquier once more after learning that the hotel has closed for the night. As the two men talk, they develop a respect for one another, as well as a secret longing to live the type of lifestyle the other man lives based on the desire to escape their own. The Man on the Train gained positive notice after being selected for competition in the 2002 Venice Film Festival, as well as for the 2002 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi

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78% liked it

4,599 ratings

Critics

92% liked it

109 critics

R, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Patrice Leconte

Release Date: May 9, 2003

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DVD Release Date: November 25, 2003

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Stats: 224 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (224)

  • brooklynspo
    October 10, 2007
    brooklynspo
    A very delicate film, but it works.
  • SirPant
    October 2, 2009
    SirPant
    Two extremely good actors producing two extremely good performances. This is a fantastic story of envy, friendship and regret. Its brilliant!
  • mrbungle7821
    February 25, 2006
    mrbungle7821
    [center][font=Arial][color=darkred][img]http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/4116/photo016pn.jpg[/img][/color][/font][/center]
    [font=Arial][color=darkred][/color][/font]
    [font=Arial][color=darkred]A dark stranger gets off a train in France. He has piercing blue eyes and a weathere... read mored face with a machine-like expression. This man is Milan (Johnny Hallyday) and he?s stopping by this small French town for a new job. Oh, Milan?s business is robbing banks. In this small village he befriends a garrulous retired poetry teacher, Monsieur Manesquie (Jean Rochefort). The two men spend their time wishing they had the life of the other. Milan openly seeks a comfortable life surrounded by books. Monsieur Manesquie is a huge fan of Clint Eastwood movies and longs for some action in his life. He secretly dreams of one day robbing a bank just for the fun of it.[/color][/font]

    [font=Arial][color=darkred]So, an interesting start for a film, right? Sure. But this IS the movie. ?The Man on the Train? is a middling character experiment. The two men rub off each other, with Milan teaching a young boy the wonders of poetry, and Monsieur Manesquie learning how to properly fire a gun. The scenes are nice and both actors are splendid (especially French rocker Hallyday) but the film is one long muddled and meandering trip until our inevitable climax. The ending feels needlessly open-ended and a tad clumsy. There?s also a subplot featuring a young mistress for Monsieur Manesquie that sticks out like a sore thumb.[/color][/font]

    [font=Arial][color=darkred]?The Man on the Train? is a well shot and well acted film but it only feels like the first half of a movie. I?m sure plenty of people out there will appreciate the character nuances and small moments, but this is a film completely driven by small moments that never add up to anything larger. Maybe ?The Man on the Train? just isn?t for me. Or maybe I need to just wait for the second half, if it ever gets made.[/color][/font]

    [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate's Grade: C+[/color][/font]
  • jimrin
    October 14, 2009
    jimrin
    Excellent movie about looking deep inside of you to find your true feelings. However, the movie leaves some ambiguity about what really happened... but this seems to be typical about French movies to leave it ambiguous for the viewer to get out of the movie what they want to get ... read moreout of the movie.

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Critic Reviews

Roger Moore
July 11, 2003
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Each actor comes to perfectly embody his character.

Jan Stuart
June 27, 2003
Jan Stuart, Newsday

Patrice Leconte's fanciful odd-couple drama oozes flavorful, provincial atmosphere. Full Review

Joe Baltake
June 6, 2003
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

Your typical buddy film that's been executed in an entirely atypical way. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
June 6, 2003
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

It is a perfected fable flashing across a screen. Full Review

Robert Denerstein
June 6, 2003
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

The actors couldn't be more perfect.

Terry Lawson
June 5, 2003
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

The movie has the kind of texture and depth that will make true movie-lovers sigh with the pure cinematic, human grace of it all. Full Review

Tom Long
June 5, 2003
Tom Long, Detroit News

Immensely satisfying, and if it's also puzzling and frustrating at times, so is life.

Richard Nilsen
June 5, 2003
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic

It gives us two of the most interesting men to show up in recent movies. So delightful are they both that you hate to have to leave them at the end of the film.

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
May 30, 2003
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

No one mixes graceful melancholy and bittersweet comedy better than Leconte. Full Review

Jeff Strickler
May 29, 2003
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune

For the most part, [Leconte] pulls back and lets the two stars do their thing. And they do it marvelously. Full Review

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