The Railway Man
Eric Lomax (Colin Firth: Gambit) returns from World War II as a shell of a man. Avoiding people, he rides the rails and collects train memorabilia. On a train years later, he encounters former nurse Patti (Nicole Kidman: Stoker). Smitten, they quickly marry.
Patti’s illusion of wedded bliss soon shatters. Eric stares off into space. Small things provoke violent reactions. A bit of radio static causes a meltdown. Eric is hostile about his odd behavior.
Can Patti help her husband find his way back?
In desperation, Patti reaches out to Eric’s only friend, fellow combat survivor Finlay (Stellan Skarsgård: Nymphomaniac), to learn what broke her husband nearly 40 years ago.
Eric and Finlay were captured by the Japanese in 1942. Desperate to hear any news of the outside world, they used pilfered parts to build a radio. When the makeshift radio was discovered, the captors made an example of the men. What they did to Eric leaves lifelong scars.
Finding his tormentor late in life, Eric has a choice: Try to forget or leave Patti to seek vengeance.
The Railway Man is a moving drama about the lasting effects of battle on soldiers in a time before Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was known, let alone treated. Horrifying, touching and inspiring, it’s based on the real experiences of Eric Lomax.
While director Jonathan Teplitzky (Burning Man) bombards you with horrors, faith in humanity gives The Railway Man its power. Veterans and their loved ones band together in unobtrusive support that enables these men to cope.
As a man reliving torture every day of his life, Firth is remarkable. His performance isn’t showy, but it’s real, and one of the better portrayals of the lasting effects of PTSD ever captured on film. His face and body carry constant tension. In the midst of a violent episode, Firth is able to make his eyes go vacant and wild, showing the feral creature beneath the calm.
For all their brief courtship, Kidman sells Patti’s deep connection to Eric. Firth and Kidman have an easy chemistry that make it seem possible that she is not afraid of her husband but afraid for him.
A historic story about finding solace after life-shattering events, The Railway Man is a powerful message of hope. Just one tip: Pick up some extra napkins at the concession stand, lest you have to take your eyes from the screen to ask your seatmate for a tissue.