Central Station . Tucson Weekly . 02-23-99

Central Station

DIRECTED BY: Walter Salles Jr.

REVIEWED: 02-23-99

Rarely will you see an actress in her late 60s star opposite a young boy, but that's exactly the odd couple that drives this thought-provoking Brazilian film. Dora, a retired schoolteacher, teams up with JosuÈ, a recent orphan, to try to find the boy's natural father. Their journey takes place largely on a bus ride, where they lose all of their money chasing after JosuÈ's ideal of his parent. The ordinariness of these characters and how they handle their crises is compelling and well told through visual details such as drab clothing and bleak surroundings, and narratively via slow pacing and an overall lack of drama. If you're up for a chuckle, save Central Station for another day; it's a slice-of-life tale that's best enjoyed when you have the patience and energy to sympathize with imperfect yet resonant characters who struggle within modest destinies.

--Higgins

Full Length Reviews
Central Station
Central Station

Capsule Reviews
Central Station

Other Films by Walter Salles Jr.
Foreign Land

Film Vault Suggested Links
A Self-Made Hero
Cabaret Balkan
Antonia's Line

Rate this Film
If you don't want to vote on a film yet, and would like to know how others voted, leave the rating selection as "Vote Here" and then click the Cast Vote button.