Friday Review-Transsiberian

I posted this review on my other blog last week but I thought it would be worth discussing this film here too. Transsiberian is an 'indie-thriller' and an impressive one at that. Since I am not a frequent traveler of the Trans Siberian railway I can't say whether this depiction was accurate or not (I'm going to go with not), but in any case it worked well for setting the scene of the film. I'm just going to say from the start that as a thriller, Transsiberian is right on, as a social commentary, not so much. Two travelers, a married couple Roy and Jessie (Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer) are returning from doing charity work in China and decide to take the Trans-Siberian on their way home. Emily is studious and uber serious and Roy is a happy-go-lucky, All-American guy. They are having marital troubles, or so we are told. On their first night they meet a young couple, rugged Spaniard, Carlos, and an eyeliner wearing American, Abby. Naturally these two are our baddies. Right off the hop these two start doing the nasty in their shared cabin. Come on guys, this isn't a Backpackers hostel! Carlos has the definitely got a thing for Jessie even though Roy doesn't seem to notice-or care. While their respective partners are out drinking on the 18th century-esque train, Carlos shows Jessie that his backpack is full of stacking dolls. Aren't they cute? Clearly they are drugs because Carlos doesn't seem like the sentimental type, even though he is Spanish. Jessie reveals to Abby that she wasn't always a prudish, child-helping married woman, at one time she was a wild, sex-and-drug having twenty-something. Abby reveals that she's sort of over the whole twenty-something thing and wants to buy a home, settle down and do it right- on an island no less! Jessie points out the potential costliness of buying a house on an island but don't worry, Abby has a plan. After the girl chat is over they hop back on the train. Except for Roy who is too busy looking at the trains to get back on the train which gives Carlos his chance! They decide to get off at the next stop and wait for Roy to catch up on the next train. Abby skulks off and Carlos puts his moves into action. They go 'sightseeing', Russia is very lovely and snowy and these two horny teenagers nearly have sex. Jessie comes to her senses, Carlos gets angry. One of them gets dead. Hint: It's not Jessie. After being reunited with Roy, Jessie is troubled to find that a.) Carlos has slipped the drugs in her bag and b.) Roy has, annoyingly, become friends with a well-placed cop (Ben Kingsley). Of course, he's a corrupt cop and soon is attempting to torture our lovely Americans for information about Carlos, all in a secluded winter wasteland. Is this how cops are in Russia? Roy and Jessie rightfully note that it's just a bit of heroin and learn that it's actually about thousands of euros that have gone missing along with Carlos. What a pain. You kill a guy for nearly having sex with you and then  you find out he's part of a crime ring. Fortunately, minus Carlos, everyone lives and gets safely escorted home to America, after some action-y hijinks. In a moment of total badassery, Abby, who is on crutches marches through the snow, digs up Carlos and takes the money which was hidden in his parka. ON CRUTCHES. IN SNOW. He may be a cheating, lying,   Transsiberian  really is a well-paced and enjoyable film, Woody Harrelson is charming and naive and Emily Mortimer delivers a fairly solid performance. Ben Kingsley is...Ben Kingsley and I have to say that one of things I liked about this film was it's reliance on story rather than shock and gore, and it was a well crafted story at that, throw in great scenery and solid direction from Brad Anderson (The Machinist) and Transsiberian is a truly enjoyable film, and-dare I say it?- even a memorable film.