The Man on the Train

A subtle story of how one man's regret can be another man's hope, The Man on the Train draws strength from a pair of superb performances. After a chance meeting at a local pharmacy, a retired poetry professor (Donald Sutherland) and a middle-aged bank robber (U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr., making a confident film debut) find themselves increasingly envious of each other's lives. Whether drawn together by chance or fate, the two kindred spirits bring out the best in each other; the professor, who rattles off delicate haikus with a twinkle in his eye and regrets a lifetime of wasted opportunity, comes alive from the vicarious thrill of knowing a bona fide criminal, while the tight-lipped, but intelligent, wanderer begins to realize the simple pleasures of small-town life. Sutherland's portrayal of the rejuvenated teacher is palpably joyful, while Mullen reveals a surprising depth as a thief contemplating one last job. Though several people hover on the story's periphery, notably Graham Greene's eccentric getaway driver, the duo's charming rapport forms the basis of the film's episodic plot. Try as they might, though, they can't undo the choices that have brought to them where they are, and The Man on the Train's twin endings feel both sad and inevitable, the logical conclusion of their illogical connection.