Movie Loner

Writer/Director Brad Anderson is one of the more unheralded filmmakers working today. Most movie fans, not cinephiles like me, have probably never heard of him. They may have seen his movies but the name didn’t register. Maybe it’s because it’s ‘Brad Anderson’ and not say Quentin Tarantino or Darren Aronofsky. His name may be bland, but his films definitely are not. Next Stop Wonderland, Happy Accidents and Session 9 are all quality stories that explore the disparate genres of romantic comedy, science fiction and horror. Anderson’s latest, Transsiberian, treads into the compelling territory of the crime thriller.

After finishing some charity work in Beijing, do-gooder hardware store owner Roy (Woody Harrelson) and his on-the-wagon bad girl wife Jessie (Emily Mortimer) hop the Trans-Siberian railway headed for Moscow. Roy, guided by a naive sense of wonder, soaks up the experience as well as the native Russian culture. A more reserved Jessie prefers to hide behind her camera snapping photos at every opportunity. Things take an interesting turn when young couple Abby and Carlos join Roy and Jessie in their cramped compartment. Carlos, a smooth-talking Spaniard, takes an immediate liking to Jessie. Spurning Carlos’ advances, Jessie elects to get closer to a quiet Abby.

At one of the routine railway stops Roy gets separated from Jessie and misses the train. Jessie, joined by Abby and Carlos, get off in the next town to wait for Roy. To pass the day, Carlos and Jessie embark on a sightseeing excursion to a timeworn Russian church located in a remote forest. An incident sends a panicked Jessie running for the hills. Upon returning to town, she rendezvous’s with Roy to resume their trip. An uneasy Jessie is hiding something. Soon an ice-cold detective named Grinko (Ben Kingsley) begins to suspect Jessie. Complications arise involving a drug-smuggling ring, the Russian mafia, and a missing Carlos. A leisurely cross-country journey becomes a dangerous fight for survival for Roy and Jessie.

“Better to live in darkness or die in the light?” An offhand remark by Grinko carries a deeper meaning as the plot progresses. Roy and Jessie find themselves enveloped by darkness without a light. Secrets and lies launch them into a downward spiral of torture and violence. Anderson spins an uncomfortable web for his characters to dwell. Desolate, wide-open spaces contrast with tight, claustrophobic rooms. Whether a snow-covered clearing or a cramped train cabin, Jessie and Roy are either draped in solitude or smothered by congestion. Trouble lingers around every corner. Anderson strips away any sense of safety early on, purposely hinting that things will not go well for his protagonists.

There seems to be a cinema backlash against Americans traveling abroad in recent years. The Hostel movies and Turistas are brutal examples of the perils that can befall those brave enough to venture into the unknown. Perhaps it’s an indictment on the United States’ less than stellar reputation around the world. Or it could be a statement against trying to impose one’s will or ideals on a foreign country. Anderson seems to chastise Jessie for her irresponsible actions; she knows better but temptation seduces her. As much as she’s attempting to reform her wayward ways, she is reluctant: “Kill off all my demons, Roy, and my angels might die, too.” These foreboding words reveal a skewed, arrogant logic that ultimately haunts Jessie.

Emily Mortimer is superb as Jessie. She brings fragile toughness to a character with more questions than answers. This is Mortimer’s film and she adeptly carries it from start to finish. Woody Harrelson doesn’t get to do much until the final act, but his wide-eyed Roy is both endearing and comical. Rounding out the cast is Ben Kingsley, who provides a creepy likability to the stone-faced Detective Grinko. A harmless exterior conceals a vicious interior. Transsiberian played at Sundance back in January but received only a limited release over the summer. It’s a good little film that showcases Brad Anderson’s ability to jump genres without skipping a beat.

The trailer for Transsiberian:

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