THE COMMUTER
UK/US, 2018, 105 minutes, Colour.
Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks, Sam Neill, Elizabeth Mc Govern, Killian Scott, Florence Pugh.
Directed by Jaume Collett- Serra.
This is another fast-paced thriller with Liam Neeson. In older age, he seems to have been specialising in this kind of film, especially with the three films of the series, Taken. And this is the fourth film that he has made with Spanish director, Jaume Collett- Serra. The previous films were Run All Night, Unknown, Non-stop.
Non-stop provided tension in the air. This time a lot of the action takes place in a train, one of those commuter trains that travels north from New York City along the Hudson River. So, The Commuter can take its place confidently in the catalogue of exciting films that take place on trains – as well as train crashes. But, there is also some good action after the crash when the train is under siege from the police and FBI agents.
Liam Neeson is usually a hero – he has played some villains but, tall and strong, he was born to be a hero. It is only after some time that we learn that he actually was in the New York police force but left and has become an insurance salesman. He lives in the suburbs, devoted wife, Elizabeth Mc Govern, intelligent son about to go to college, Killian Scott, colleagues at work, attentiveness to clients – and then he gets fired. He begins to drown his sorrows with his former police partner, Patrick Wilson, noticing that the head of the squad, now a captain, is also in the bar (Sam Neill).
We have seen him on and off the train many times. This time a woman, Vera Farmiga, comes to sit with him, a psychologist asking him a hypothetical question – well at least she says initially it is hypothetical. For $100,000 she challenges him to find someone on the train who answers to the name, Prynne, who needs to be eliminated. As a former detective and feeling miserable about his situation, he accepts the challenge.
At this stage, we might be wondering what on earth we would do faced with such a challenge and the impossibility of identifying such a character on a crowded commuter train. Well, he recovers the initial outlay of the money, starts to move up and down the train. He has to use all his ingenuity, causing all kinds of disruptions and suspicions, getting phone calls from the mysterious woman who seems to be observing close-up all that he does or fails to do.
Lots of suspicious characters, lots of suspicious behaviour, and seemingly no nearer to identifying Prynne.
Eventually, as they near the end of the line, the main suspects are in just one carriage but, of course, it doesn’t end there.
Plenty of excitement, plenty of scrutiny of potential criminals, some twists and who are the goodies and baddies, and then the crash and the siege.
After the preview, there was some discussion as to whether the plot was plausible (hopefully not happening too often) and whether it all made sense, especially the role of the woman who challenged the commuter as well as her involvement in the situation that led to this fatal trip. It seemed to require a bit of thinking, connecting and linking, but it does seem that the plot, despite its far-fetchedness, can actually be explained.
On the other hand, with the fast action, not so many members of the audience will be sitting back and detachedly working out whether it all makes sense.
1. A successful thriller? Strong characters? Situations? Twists?
2. The settings, New York City, the train to the north? The title? The musical score?
3. The collaboration between Liam Neeson and the director? The succession of thrillers?
4. New York City, the rail line, railway stations, the Hudson River? The town? The contrast with the city, offices, bars?
5. Michael, the commuter, his age, his relationship with his wife, his son going to college, financial difficulties? The collage of his daily rides into the city, the range of friends and associates on the train? His job, insurance, work with clients, the suddenness of his being fired, the impact, his not telling his wife? Alex and the drink at the bar, Captain Hawthorne being present, Alex’s advice? Suspicions of the captain?
6. On the train, his mood, the encounter with Joanna, the focus on her legs and shoes, sitting with him, as a psychologist, a hypothetical question, the issue of the money, the identity of Prynne, the debate with her? Her getting off the train? His finding the money in the toilet? Beginning his search, the range of suspects, male and female? The financier, his friend and the stranger and their playing cards, the nurse not wanting her bags searched? The train staff and their activities?
7. His dilemma, phone calls from Joanna, her knowing everything that happened to him on the train? The suspicions of the young man, his death, the irony that he was an FBI agent? The other agents waiting on the station further along to meet him? Other people coming under suspicion?
8. Walt as a friend, getting off the train, being knocked down?
9. The phone call, the threat to his family? The psychological pressure?
10. The voices on the phone, the threats, persuasion?
11. The various stations, tickets and zones, people changing seats. moving towards the terminal? People getting off?
12. The final group in the carriage, their stories, the discovery of the actual Prynne, her being a witness, the murder, her friend, having the photos?
13. The train, the explosion and its careering out of control, going through the station? The plan to dislodge the final carriage? The guard and his heroism and jumping, the other
guard and his fears? The spectacular crash?
14. Michael in charge, papering the windows, the police arriving, the carriage under siege? The media? Captain Hawthorne present? Alex, his being the liaison, talking with Michael, coming on-board? His comments about nobility and audiences and Michael realising that he was the link? The siege and the shooting? The woman getting up and saying she was Prynne, all the other standing up – a Spartacus moment? The family arriving? Saved?
15. The resolution, Michael going back to work for the police, catching up with Joanna confronting her?
16. The intricacy of the plot, the plan to involve Michael and use him, the role of Joanna?
