The Railway Man (2013)

 

I'm not in the best writing mood, and as in the last few weeks I only have one option that I watched recently to make it even more complicated. "The Railway Man" is another adaptation of a true story. Eric Lomax, a veteran of WW2 seems to find his peace 30 years after, when he marries Patricia. It just seems, because the post-traumatic stress is still there. So, we find out about the horror that Lomax + all his regiment experienced, being sent to forced labor for the construction of the Burma-Thailand railway. That's the first part of the movie.

In the second half of the movie Lomax and also we find out that a former translator of the Kenpeitai (the secret Japanese police), member of the interrogation teams (and implicitly torture) is still alive and works as guide in the '80s in a war museum. In search for his peace, Lomax decides to pay him a visit, departing with revenge thoughts, but what he finds is apparently a guy transformed by his own trauma. The meeting, therefore, concludes with a reconciliation beneficial for both men. 

The whole story, with minor differences, is indeed real, Lomax also publishing a book about it. I'd risk saying that the book is better than the movie, although I didn't read it. About the movie... you shouldn't expect much unfortunately. The first part is ok, although it tends to get a bit melodramatic for a real situation. The transition to the second half, is however sudden, forced and the way it's staged loses even more of its credibility. That's pretty much all I have to say about it... If I'd have to draw an average between the two parts...

Rating: 3 out of 5