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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In the opening scenes of Central Station, colorful crowds of Brazilians stream into and out of a Rio de Janeiro train, pushing through doors and windows. You're immediately pulled into the brutal vitality of a nation in motion, setting the tone for a picturesque road movie that charts Brazil's renaissance in a little boy's search for his father and an old woman's emotional reawakening. When we first meet Dora (Fernanda Montenegro), this frozen-hearted, sour-faced woman is the epitome of immobility: day after day, she sits in the train station selling her letter-writing skills to all comers, but often doesn't bother to mail these precious messages. When a woman who's paid Dora to write a pleading note to her son's long-missing dad gets run over by a bus, the child, Josue (Vinicius de Oliveira), is up for grabs. (The summary execution of a thieving street kid--in longshot--underscores the seriousness of this waif's plight.) After an abortive attempt to sell Josue for a new TV, the aspiring couch potato finds herself reluctantly propelled into an occasionally Fellini-esque odyssey through the hinterlands of Brazil's sertäo, where Dora and her sidekick find unexpected faith and family. Former documentary filmmaker Walter Salles (Foreign Land) mixes magic with realism in his appreciation of striking faces and places, but Central Station is primarily fueled by the tough/tender performances of Montenegro, Brazil's Judy Dench, and de Oliveira, an airport shoeshine boy Salles cast over 1,500 other hopefuls. (Montenegro was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, and Central Station was in the running for Best Foreign Language Film.) No cloyingly cute child-star, de Oliveira plays Josue as a bracingly idiosyncratic brat. And watching Dora's face and soul slowly, unwillingly unclench as she gets back in motion--and emotion--is potent pleasure, even if Salles's trip does dead-end in soap opera as his Brazilian pilgrim's progress winds down. --Kathleen Murphy
Product Description
This feature film is a DVD.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By muskiedine
Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase
The transforming and redemptive power of forgiveness is the major theme in this moving film from Brazil. The two leads, Dora, an older woman whose self-imposed sheltered life has been long shut-off from the yearnings and longings that make us human, and Josue, a young boy who forces her to confront her detachment as such, move the viewer from a jolting start to a warm, satisfying ending.
This is a film I never get tired of. The performances are great; the musical score is subtle, yet significant; the people and places are compelling; and the story, although perhaps somewhat manipulative, is overall enjoyable.
Some reviewers have side-stepped the warmth of this movie in attacking it as pretentious, cliche, and overtly sentimental. Although these are valid arguments, I felt that overall these points are forgiveable and easy to overlook.
This is a film I never get tired of. The performances are great; the musical score is subtle, yet significant; the people and places are compelling; and the story, although perhaps somewhat manipulative, is overall enjoyable.
Some reviewers have side-stepped the warmth of this movie in attacking it as pretentious, cliche, and overtly sentimental. Although these are valid arguments, I felt that overall these points are forgiveable and easy to overlook.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
The first time I saw this film I came to the conclusion it was not only a simple movie. It was pure MAGIC! I was so touched that I could not stop crying.At the end the audience gave the movie a great and long run of applause! I saw it again in movie theaters many other times. And the pleasure I felt each time I saw it again was greater and greater. After the fifth time I started going to the cinema to see the other people's reaction to it. It was incredible the way the movie pleased all kinds of people (the young, the old, men, women, etc). I am so glad I can share this experience with people from all over the world! Thank you for the oportunity of having it in video! WATCH CENTRAL STATION, and if you're at least a little bit sensitive you'll have an extraordinary experience!
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By Nandinha
Format:DVD
This is a film of contrasts. From Rio de Janeiro's Metropolis-like urban hell to Brasil's Nordeste - a barren place of barren and huge landscapes and unmittigated Faith.
Dora's character, played by sublime actress Fernanda Montenegro (Oscar nominated and certainly worthy of winning...) evolves from an urban Rio de Janeiro's letter writer-devil'll do all to a mother figure to street kid Josué after his own mother dies.
After that this is a spiritual road movie - for Josué's long lost father - and for Dora's long lost faith in herself and in other human beings - which she eventually achieves most purely in Josués character.
This is a powerful movie. Christianly so. Any religion-so. But mostly a movie about trust in the residual bits of humanity that allow those in near-despair to believe. Maybe not in God as such - but in christian individuals as such...
So is this a religious movie? Not exactly. And not at all a Catholic one.
But it is a delightful innocent mix-up of beliefs, with a kind of untainted christianism standing out.
Dora's character, played by sublime actress Fernanda Montenegro (Oscar nominated and certainly worthy of winning...) evolves from an urban Rio de Janeiro's letter writer-devil'll do all to a mother figure to street kid Josué after his own mother dies.
After that this is a spiritual road movie - for Josué's long lost father - and for Dora's long lost faith in herself and in other human beings - which she eventually achieves most purely in Josués character.
This is a powerful movie. Christianly so. Any religion-so. But mostly a movie about trust in the residual bits of humanity that allow those in near-despair to believe. Maybe not in God as such - but in christian individuals as such...
So is this a religious movie? Not exactly. And not at all a Catholic one.
But it is a delightful innocent mix-up of beliefs, with a kind of untainted christianism standing out.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very touching
I stumbled upon this, as it was a preview for some other movie I was watching.
In contrast to my expectations, this was a very moving and touching story/movie. Read more
In contrast to my expectations, this was a very moving and touching story/movie. Read more
Published 27 days ago by Christopher Alexander
4.0 out of 5 stars
It was okay
I had to watch this movie for a class in college. It was pretty good for a foreign film. I would recommend. Would probably need a dvd version since vhs is almost obsolete.
Published 4 months ago by Trista Watters
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worth The View
8/15/12 Script and Cast show excellent ability of casting and adaptation of book by author and film director Walter Moreira Salles Jr.... Read more
Published 9 months ago by A. B. Jackson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Central Station
This foreign film is heartwarming and funny. You will lauhg and cry and feel great after watching this movie. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Debigonz
1.0 out of 5 stars
A rip-off
I had heard that this was an exceptionally fine film and was anxious to see it. When it arrived I set it aside because I wanted to watch it after Christmas with my son who was... Read more
Published 17 months ago by kITTY hIGGINS
5.0 out of 5 stars
central station
This was a great DVD. Ordering was easy from Amazon and the company who sent it did so promptly. I will use all services again. Thanks
Published 18 months ago by t8inla
5.0 out of 5 stars
Full steam ahead
At the time of writing, 90 of 115 reviewers have awarded this movie 5 stars. They cannot all be wrong, but many are right for the wrong reasons, classically an estimate of the... Read more
Published 21 months ago by David M. Goldberg
1.0 out of 5 stars
watch out!
Watch out! I thought I was buying the actual movie but when I finally had some free time to watch it, it was only a DVD of "special Features" not the actual movie. Read more
Published on March 14, 2011 by ko
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Rare and Wholly Satisfying Film
Walter Salles' gleamingly beautiful film CENTRAL STATION is one of those films that most people who appreciate the art of cinema will place in their personal library. Read more
Published on October 29, 2010 by Grady Harp
5.0 out of 5 stars
Humanity Triumphs
"Central Station" is a Brazilian movie with a simple story line, but it has a tender, affirmative take that many moviegoers will embrace. Read more
Published on May 24, 2009 by John F. Rooney
