The story is nothing more than following a group of people en route via train to the funeral of the brightest luminary in their circle, a modestly successful painter who insisted that his funeral take place miles from Paris at the family plot in Limoges. At bottom, it’s a kind of Altman-esque character piece — except that the characters are a good bit stranger than the ones usually found in Altman. Slow and moody (nearly half the film is over before the bickering throng gets to Limoges), it’s a thoughtful, sometimes outrageous work that builds a cumulative power by the end. Many of the assumptions we’ve made about the characters (especially a gay couple, both enamored of an HIV-positive youth) prove to be untrue, much in the manner of what the mourners think they know about the dead man. The film focuses on death, but only to come out the other side in a truly astonishing shot aptly backed by Mahler’s unfinished Tenth Symphony, bringing the film to a remarkable ending. A wholly rewarding work for those with the patience for its unhurried pace.
Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train Friday, May 22, at 8 p.m. at Phil Mechanic Studios, 109 Roberts St., River Arts District (upstairs in the Railroad Library). Info: 273-3332, www.ashevillecourtyard.com
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