Fantasia Festival: Volume 5

by Ari

Train Man

What makes the Fantasia International Film Festival such an appealing event is how they love to surprise their audiences with small and unknown foreign movies that usually wind up among the best of the year. This is what happened two years ago when I attended this festival for the first time, and it’s what happened last year when I returned. Fantasia 2006 has been a very odd collision of the excellent and the disastrous, and despite the lowest moment I’ve ever experienced here (Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai), the film-lovers that present this festival have still managed to keep their charm and appeal intact. It’s because of screenings like A Bittersweet Life, The Woods, All Out Nine, and Train Man, that Fantasia separates itself from other film-festivals around the world. As I’ve previously stated, this event is about discovering the unknown, and for anyone interested in doing so, Montreal really is the place to be every July.

There is no other event that compiles such diverse genre filmmaking, and even though Fantasia or its movies don’t have the clout that symbolizes other avant-garde festivals, some of their offerings are just as sophisticated and profound. And some of them are just pure and simple entertainment that represents the communal joy of experiencing escapist wonders. The very sweet and funny romantic comedy, Train Man, is a perfect example of such enjoyments. Train Man is a warm, feel-good romance for people who love dreamy romantic stories - a comfort movie meant to liven your spirit, make you laugh and cry, and inspire happy and optimistic feelings. While these emotions are usually ingredients for the unbearably sappy, a genuine sense of heart and surprisingly intelligent filmmaking turns the sap into something affecting. Train Man is exactly what all of these formulaic romantic comedies wish they were: Charming, hilarious, and even a bit emotional to boot.

Densha Otoko (Takayuki Yamada) is a romantically inexperienced young man who spends his free time watching movies, reading, and chatting online with a small group of friends under the pseudonym ‘Train_Man’. The name is fitting considering how much time he spends on the train to and from work every day. Like most inexperienced young men who pass time with literature or movies or endless amounts of time browsing the internet (I swear this movie isn’t about me!), Densha is shy, quiet, and reserved. He lives in his own little world of pleasures and interests, but longs for that tender companionship he imagines is so fulfilling. On the train back from work, he notices a beautiful young woman sitting alone and reading a book. He’s immediately smitten. She has the innocent beauty he so desperately desires, and looks intelligent and sweet. When an uncontrollable drunk begins harassing her, Densha works up the bravery to confront the man and pushes him away. Relieved someone came to her aid, the woman (Miki Nakatani), who is identified as Hermess (a reference in the movie), asks Densha for his address so she can send him a thank you gift. This surprising turn of events begins the romantic journey for the young otaku.

Struck by happiness and energy, Densha seeks advice from his internet friends, who, of course, are all conflicted or inexperienced themselves. These friends include a young boy, a nurse, an unhappy married couple, and three fellow nerdy misfits. The range of support is hilarious - a perfect representation of the phoniness and truth behind internet anonymity. The young boy is usually critical, the nurse is supportive, the unhappy couple give strong, if hypocritical advice, and the three friends worship his romantic fortune. In order to overcome his personal issues, Densha uses his internet chatters to help him as he progresses towards a real relationship. This includes staking-out restaurants, improving his appearance, and planning things to say - the many trivial motions a nervous wreck goes through when preparing for a date. Densha gradually moves forward in the relationship with small steps, and reports back to his chatroom after every major moment. Like all romantic comedies, Train Man follows a formula that you fully expect, but what it does right is actually use the generic plotting to create one hilarious sequence after another.

Like his internet friends who anxiously await new updates, you as a viewer eventually become just as caught up in his adventure. It doesn’t matter if you can see specific things coming, character arcs forming into the obvious, or twists and turns that don’t actually surprise. Densha’s romantic entanglement is plain amusing, and the amazing actors and professional filmmaking is a joy to behold. The lead role by Takayuki Yamada as Densha is one of the most side-splittingly funny and sympathetic performances I’ve seen in a movie like this. He really is something to watch, and you can’t help but root for him whenever he reaches deep within himself to impress the love of his life. There’s one particular sequence where he enthusiastically tries to explain the allure of ‘The Matrix’, without ever realizing she doesn’t have a clue as to what he’s talking about. That sort of sweet charm is sprinkled over the entire film, and makes each sequence and romantic obstacle impossible to dislike. There are specific sequences that are funnier than some entire movies, probably the highest compliment I can give this movie. The incredible work of the actors is what makes this movie count.

That’s not to say it’s not well made. Director Masanori Murakami gives the film a classy touch with his visual sensibilities and overall competence. Train Man features some wonderful on-location photography, especially in Tokyo’s vibrant and crowded Ginza district. The cinematography by Shigeki Murano is pretty - another romantic look at Japan’s most colorful city - highly reminiscent of Coppola’s Lost in Translation in some cases. Another major factor in Train Man’s attractive personality is the quirky, somewhat playful score by Takayuki Hattori. It perfectly matches the characters and story, providing a fitting tone for the sweet emotions on display.

Train Man is a surprisingly good romantic comedy - one of the most pleasurable movies I’ve seen this year.