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IMDbPro

Night Train to Lisbon

  • 2013
  • R
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
20K
YOUR RATING
Jeremy Irons, Mélanie Laurent, and Jack Huston in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
Trailer for Night Train to Lisbon
Play trailer1:31
1 Video
36 Photos
MysteryRomanceThriller

Swiss Professor Raimund Gregorius (Jeremy Irons) abandons his lectures and buttoned-down life to embark on a thrilling adventure that will take him on a journey to the very heart of himself.Swiss Professor Raimund Gregorius (Jeremy Irons) abandons his lectures and buttoned-down life to embark on a thrilling adventure that will take him on a journey to the very heart of himself.Swiss Professor Raimund Gregorius (Jeremy Irons) abandons his lectures and buttoned-down life to embark on a thrilling adventure that will take him on a journey to the very heart of himself.

  • Director
    • Bille August
  • Writers
    • Greg Latter
    • Ulrich Herrmann
    • Pascal Mercier
  • Stars
    • Jeremy Irons
    • Mélanie Laurent
    • Jack Huston
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    20K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Bille August
    • Writers
      • Greg Latter
      • Ulrich Herrmann
      • Pascal Mercier
    • Stars
      • Jeremy Irons
      • Mélanie Laurent
      • Jack Huston
    • 77User reviews
    • 90Critic reviews
    • 30Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Night Train to Lisbon
    Trailer 1:31
    Watch Night Train to Lisbon

    Photos36

    Jeremy Irons, Christopher Lee, Charlotte Rampling, Mélanie Laurent, and Jack Huston in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    Jeremy Irons, Martina Gedeck, Mélanie Laurent, and Jack Huston in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    Jeremy Irons, Martina Gedeck, Mélanie Laurent, and Jack Huston in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    Jeremy Irons in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    Jeremy Irons, August Diehl, Mélanie Laurent, and Jack Huston in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    Jeremy Irons, Martina Gedeck, Mélanie Laurent, and Jack Huston in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    Jeremy Irons, Martina Gedeck, Mélanie Laurent, and Jack Huston in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    Martina Gedeck in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    August Diehl in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    Lena Olin in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    Jack Huston in Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
    Night Train to Lisbon (2013)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jeremy Irons
    Jeremy Irons
    • Raimund Gregorius
    Mélanie Laurent
    Mélanie Laurent
    • Young Estefânia
    Jack Huston
    Jack Huston
    • Amadeu
    Martina Gedeck
    Martina Gedeck
    • Mariana
    Tom Courtenay
    Tom Courtenay
    • Older João Eça
    August Diehl
    August Diehl
    • Young Jorge O'Kelly
    Bruno Ganz
    Bruno Ganz
    • Older Jorge O'Kelly
    Lena Olin
    Lena Olin
    • Older Estefânia
    Marco D'Almeida
    • Young João
    Beatriz Batarda
    Beatriz Batarda
    • Young Adriana
    Christopher Lee
    Christopher Lee
    • Father Bartolomeu
    Charlotte Rampling
    Charlotte Rampling
    • Older Adriana
    Nicolau Breyner
    • Da Silva
    Jane Thorne
    • Older Clotilde
    Burghart Klaußner
    Burghart Klaußner
    • Judge Prado
    Adriano Luz
    Adriano Luz
    • Mendez
    Sarah Spale
    • Catarina Mendez
    • (as Sarah Spale-Bühlmann)
    Filipe Vargas
    Filipe Vargas
    • Young Father Bartolomeu
    • Director
      • Bille August
    • Writers
      • Greg Latter
      • Ulrich Herrmann
      • Pascal Mercier
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      There are some language issues in the movie that one could take as goofs. But in fact, the movie takes English as a convention. The option to maintain Portuguese where logical would have made it a Portuguese-spoken movie through the entire flashback, and even some present scenes. So, all of the characters speak English, even if they should speak Portuguese or German. The reference to their actual language is made through their accents. That's why most of the actors playing Portuguese, even Brits, speak English with an effort to have the typical Portuguese accent.
    • Goofs
      When Raimund is on the Bern Train Station, he is thinking whether he goes on board or not. The train starts to move and the doors are still open, which nowadays it would be impossible in trains of that dimension for security reasons. Although the error was needed to give more tension to the scene, it is still a thing that would never occur nowadays.
    • Quotes

      Amadeu: We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place. We stay there, even though we go away. And there are things in us that we can find again only by going back there. We travel to ourselves when we go to a place. Now we have covered the stretch of our lives, no matter how brief it may have been.

    • Connections
      Referenced in The Salesman (2016)
    • Soundtracks
      Lisboa
      Composer: Annette Focks

      Portugese Guitar: Damiel Pircher

      Sound Mixer: Tom Tautorat

      Recording & Mix Studio: Emil Berlin Studios

    User reviews77

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Mysteries and self-discovery in Lisbon
    There were many reasons for wanting to see 'Night Train to Lisbon'. Lisbon is such a beautiful city, the premise and book are just fascinating and really wanted to see the film in full after seeing a couple of clips online. Billie August is not a favourite of mine when it comes to directors but has been responsible for some great work, evidenced by being one of very few (only eight) directors to win the Palme D'Or twice which is a big honour.

    'Night Train to Lisbon's' main draw for me was the cast. A cast that includes Jeremy Irons, Tom Courtenay, Lena Olin, Bruno Ganz, Christopher Lee, Martina Gedeck and Charlotte Rampling is very difficult to resist, Irons and Lee especially are favourites of mine and like a lot of Courtenay's work too. Seeing the whole film yesterday, while it falls short of greatness to me there was much to admire about it. 'Night Train to Lisbon' is not for everybody, it may be too slow-paced and too talky for some and a fair share of critics found it to be the case. Personally find it very under-valued, despite coming across a lot of people online who did like it, thought it did its premise justice and wasn't bothered as much by what critics didn't like about it.

    It's not flawless, the back and forth between timelines is at times is not always as clear or natural in flow as it should be with some of the chronology in the flashbacks jumping about a little.

    Some of the events in the modern day happen too conveniently and at times the first third or so when the story was just setting up was a little sluggish and over-wordy.

    Once 'Night Train to Lisbon' got going and Raimund and the audience learn more, it becomes a very thoughtful and engaging film with a good amount of emotional impact (especially towards the end), each revelation being intriguing and not too predictable. Respectfully do disagree with those that say that the flashbacks had no tension or suspense, found the latter ones when the revolution became more violent edge of the seat suspenseful. The political elements thankfully are not laid on too thick and considering the time period it was so easy to fall into that trap. Liked too the charming and gentle approach to the modern day scenes, particularly apparent in the chemistry between Raimund and Marianna.

    Visually, 'Night Train to Lisbon' looks a treat. It is absolutely beautifully shot and anybody who has not been to Lisbon will find themselves to book a trip there, the film perfectly captures the beauty of it without feeling like a holiday travelogue. The music score really stuck in my mind after watching the film and is still in my head now, loved the understatement and pathos it brought. August directs solidly and the script, while too wordy in places, is very thoughtful, very layered and intelligent, wasn't confused by any of it and wasn't irked by Raimund's intriguing questioning. Some may find the ending abrupt, actually appreciated that it didn't end in a way that could potentially be too pat.

    What is especially good about 'Night Train to Train' is the cast, some suspect accents aside. August did two films with Jeremy Irons, this and 'House of the Spirits' twenty years or so previous. Don't know how this opinion is going to go down with people, but found this to be the better film and despite the role here being less complex also prefer Irons' performance in this film. His performance is one of his most subtle with telling expressions and warm as chocolate delivery, but he is wholly successful in making a character meant to be "boring" very compelling and easy to identify with, and totally carries the modern day scenes which wouldn't have had as much impact without him. It is a wonderful performance and among his better recent years ones. He shares great chemistry with a charming Martina Gedeck, equally good in his scenes with Tom Courtenay and a pretty moving one with frail but still commanding as ever Christopher Lee in one of his last roles. The younger cast do just as good a job, especially Jack Huston showing that with good material he can be good and Melanie Laurent. Charlotte Rampling also gives a deeply felt performance in a small but important role.

    Concluding, well worth your time. 7/10
    helpful•11
    1
    • TheLittleSongbird
    • May 25, 2019

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 6, 2013 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Switzerland
      • Germany
      • Portugal
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Portuguese
    • Also known as
      • Нічний потяг до Лісабона
    • Filming locations
      • Caxias, Portugal
    • Production companies
      • Studio Hamburg Filmproduktion
      • C-Films AG
      • PalmStar Media
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • €7,700,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $12,020,387
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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