Rails & Ties (2007)

A deadly collision between a train and car lead to an unlikely bond between the train engineer and a young boy who escapes the carnage.

Director:

Alison Eastwood

Writer:

Micky Levy

Stars:

Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay Harden, Miles Heizer

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Bacon	...	Tom Stark
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Megan Stark
Miles Heizer	...	Davey Danner
Marin Hinkle	...	Renee
Eugene Byrd	...	Otis Higgs
Bonnie Root	...	Laura Danner
Steve Eastin	...	N.B. Garcia
Laura Cerón	...	Susan Garcia
Margo Martindale	...	Judy Neasy
Kathryn Joosten	...	Mrs. Brown
Steven M. Porter	...	Howie Pugh
Jim Cody Williams	...	Vince the Engineer
Kerri Randles	...	Rosanna
Stephen Peace	...	Bartender
Robert Harvey	...	Administrator #1

Storyline

Train fanatic Tom Stark's job enjoyment stops shielding him from grief over his wife Megan's now terminal cancer when Laura Danner commits suicide by planting her car on the railway just before Tom's train arrives. Tom's colleague Otis, who never got over a hobo doing the same on foot, resigns, Tom is suspended. It's even worse for Laura's fatherless son Davey, who loses his home too. He escapes from a monstrous foster-ma's home and tracks down Tom's home. Megan, who was about to leave without allowing him to get closer again during her last weeks, promises to stay if they take on Davey. Boy and childless couple soon grow on each-other, but a social worker is on Davey's trail.

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Plot Keywords:

father figure | train | cancer | train engineer | suicide | 

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Taglines:

When life comes apart, love puts it back together.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, an accident scene, brief nudity and momentary strong language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 April 2008 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

Yollar ve Baglar

Filming Locations:

Fillmore, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,059, 28 October 2007

Gross USA:

$22,136

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$22,136

Company Credits

Production Co:

Malpaso Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay Harden, and Margo Martindale previously worked with Director Clint Eastwood.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Fred Claus/Darfur Now/Rails & Ties/Lions for Lambs (2007)

User Reviews

" Sorrow is the staggering payment we make when investing in love "

To often humans seek out comfort in the embrace of another. It's natural and necessary if we want to remain human. However, the price we pay is terrible when giving our love to parents, loved ones and close friends. In addition, tragic events add to our loss when inexplicably we lose those who are close to us. This film encompasses such a tragic loss when Tom Stark (Kevin Bacon) is at the controls of his train when Laura Danner (Bonnie Root), a suicidal mother parks her car upon the tracks and awaits death with her son. Despite his best efforts, Stark is unable to prevent the accident. The woman is killed and her son Davey Danner (Miles Heizer) blames her death on the engineer. With the accident troubling his mind, Stark is further burdened with his ailing wife who is dying of cancer. In addition, Davey becomes an orphan, sent to a foster home from which he runs away from and seeks refuge with Stark and (Marcia Harden) his sickly wife. The story is deeply complex and extremely ladened with anxiety, conflicting emotion and troubling situations. It attempts to intertwine both family understanding and compassion grief. Although Kevin Bacon is superb in his acting and is ably supported by Miles who is equally great, some selected scenes are slow to develop, morosely dark and too often the audience is hampered with confused and poorly directed endings. Nevertheless, the story is awash with deep feelings and emotional surges which confront human beings everyday. ***