Upon watching the Station Agent, I have never seen the film before so I did not know exactly what to expect. I admire the strive for representation in the film and the message behind the plot. What was immediately frustrating for me to conceptualize was the negativity behind so many of the characters. I know that both Olivia and Fin had factors in their lives that caused them to struggle communicating their feelings in a positive way, but they were sometimes portrayed as simply rude to others around them. Joe, a character in which it is heavily implied that his father is recovering from an illness and demands a lot of attention, manages to stay positive and see the beauty behind life. With that being said, a sick father does not compare to the death of a child and a collapsing marriage; nor does it compare to dealing with the judgement of strangers wherever you go because of the way you look.
Fin, a character who is forced to always have to explain his very existence because of his dwarfism is clearly fed up with the world around him. Often a recluse, he refuses to involve himself with interactions with others that last longer than a few brief words or phrases. Even when Joe tries to befriend him, someone who is perhaps one of the first people in Fins life to show a genuine respect and appreciation for him, Fin acts with disdain and dismisses Joe’s friendly attempts. This is all justified when we see Fin’s interactions with others at the general store, at the bar, and in every walk of life that Fin involves himself in. Joe however manages to break through Fin’s rough exterior and discover things about his personality that are genuine and true. When train chasing with Joe, from what I perceived, this was one one of the first times that Fin felt that Dwarfism was not his main identifier. Joe shows him that there is more to who he is than being a dwarf.
Upon meeting the character of Olivia Harris, I was overwhelmed with the feeling of annoyance and aggravation. How could a character be so helpless that she not only almost hits Fin with her car once, but twice! And then, while bringing her token of condolence to Fin (a bottle of wine) she knocks a piece of Fin’s furniture down and than she falls to the floor. It was simply ridiculous to see this otherwise strong character be diminished to one that appears helpless and in need of a hero. As the movie progressed, so did Olivia’s sense of helplessness. She is clearly a talented painter, she is separated from her husband, and is dealing with the immense pain of losing her son two years ago. After distancing herself from Joe and Fin, she discovers that her husband is having another child. This angers her and reduces her to tears as she is overwhelmed with emotion. Olivia then tries to “resolve” her problems by swallowing a bunch of pills and attempting to overdose. Fin helps her again in this moment, and hugs her as she sobs. It is unclear whether Fin brings her to the hospital or not, but we know that Olivia lives. This is another instance where we, as the audience, are supposed to view Fin as “saving” Olivia from this pain and emotional distress. She is truly a damsel in distress, and Fin acts as the Hero who enters her life and “saves” her. I do not necessarily with this portrayal of Olivia, but I acknowledge that this is how the audience is supposed to view their story. I also admit that there are instances when Olivia helps Fin (when she gives him the video camera as a means to explore something that interests him, and when they share a kiss). Olivia, like Joe, helps Fin to view himself as someone other than a “dwarf”. This does not take away from the notion that Olivia needed Fin in more physical manor, whereas Fin needed someone to see him in a different light. I am curious to see what others think about this interpretation of Olivia’s character in relation to both Fin and Joe.
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