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:

$11,032, 26 October 2007, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$18,718, 4 November 2007

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 Siskel & Ebert: Fred Claus/Darfur Now/Rails & Ties/Lions for Lambs (2007)

User Reviews

Strong acting and a decent directorial debut by Allison Eastwood

RAILS & TIES (2007) **1/2 Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay Harden, Miles Heizer, Marin Hinkle, Eugene Byrd, Bonnie Root, Steve Eastin, Laura Ceron, Margo Martindale, Kathryn Joosten. Unlikely melodrama about a young boy (newcomer Heizer) who comes into the lives of a train engineer and his dying wife (Bacon and Harden respectively) after an act of fate occurs binding the three together through their grief. Actress Allison Eastwood – daughter of Clint – parallels her father in the film-making process in this directorial debut that comes across as a Lifetime TV Movie but she employs many of his skills (i.e. soft fades to black, expert acting, subtle camera movements) that overlook the script's shortcomings.