Destiny decided that Jean Rochefort and Johnny Hallyday, the two wonderful lead actors of "L'homme du train" ("Man on the Train") died a couple of months apart, at the end of 2017. Destiny or coincidence? This question is actually one of the key topics of this wonderful film directed by Patrice Leconte and made in 2002, 15 years before the disappearance of these two sacred monsters of French cinema (and music in the case of Johnny Hallyday).This is the story of two men who meet by chance. Monsieur Manesquier (Jean Rochefort) is a retired teacher of French literature who lives an old bachelor life in the bourgeois house where he was born and where he is supposed to die. Milan (Johnny Hallyday) is a bank robber who came to the small town to prepare the robbery of the local bank. One talks a lot, the other is a man of few words. We'll get to know much about the previous life of the first, and almost nothing about the second who is a mysterious gangster figure on the line of characters like the one in Jean-Pierre Melville's "Le Samouraï". They apparently have not too much in common, but they will discover soon not only consistent affinities, but also something more surprising: each of them yearn to the way of life of the other."L'homme du train" is flawlessly executed, starting with the well written script which builds the two characters from a well dosed mix of dialogs and silences, the set that recreates the small town house full of memories from other times, and the superb acting of the two actors. Patrice Leconte also plays with cinematographic quotes like the Western-like beginning which brings the stranger to the remote small town to the gardener with the scythe scene reminding Ingmar Bergman. There is a lot of charm in the relationship between the two men who get gradually to know each other, in the atmosphere that surrounds them with signs of the unexpected convergence of their fates. "L'homme du train" is a beautiful movie in the best tradition of the French minimalism combined with 'film noir'. A gem that brings back to our attention that two great actors that the French cinema recently lost in one of the best films in their respective careers.

The movie has a particular mood which is carried out with perfect acting. A man came down from a train and visiting a town which is not lively. Of course, he has a motive to be there. In a way, he met a man who is a teacher and they became friends. The plot is about their lives. They want different lives and bored of their present lives. The plot is interesting and the music made the situation pretty deep.A perfect cast and recommended for the movie enthusiast.

The story of two men one quiet and shy missing all the defining thrilling moments of life, the other living the adventurous life of a con always running and never planning.They get a glimpse of each other's life and long for it.This is a quiet movie about 2 middle aged men rethinking who they are and what they could be.I give it a 7 as I relate to some of it and I think it is well acted. I think it is targeted more to 30-40 year old crowd.The lack of sex and explosions will bore the average viewer expecting a Hollywood flick. This is more about substance than form.

This is probably my favourite french film after the brilliant farce that is "Le Diner de cons". Jean Rochefort is superb and Johnny Hallyday plays the strong silent role to perfection. I'm sorry he didn't take up acting sooner as he has been great in the movies I have seen him in (L'homme du train and Crime Spree) . My favourite line is probably when Rochefort is talking about the girl in his local boulangerie who always asks her customers " avec s'aussi?" Hallyday's droll reply of "You didn't murder her" was fantastic.If you are a fan of french cinema, especially films like Amélie then you really need to see this film *****