Tickets (2005)

Rdirector: Ermanno Olmi, Abbas Kiarostami, Ken Loach | 115 minutes | drama, comedy | Actors: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Blerta Cahani, Martin Compston, Sanije Dedja, Carlo Delle Piane, Silvana De Santis, Aishe Gjuriqi, Gary Maitland, Klajdi Qorraj, William Ruane, Filippo Trojano

Despite their different film styles, the directors have in common that they often include social-realistic themes in their films. In this train journey they focus on a different number of characters who have only a subtle interface in the story. Olmi starts with an elderly scientist who has had a meeting with other pharmacists. His return flight by plane has been canceled and he is forced to take the train. That train journey is arranged by a beautiful assistant whom he secretly adores. Upon arrival at the train station, there appears to be an alarm, the train is full of security services. During his journey, the professor plays with his laptop and tries to compose an imaginary note to the beautiful assistant Sabine. He doubts how to express his admiration and amorous feelings for her. Sabine has awakened feelings, memories and desires in the old professor (and now grandfather). The professor fantasizes and muses how he would dine with her and court her.

The connection to the next episode is a young mother who is not allowed in the dining car, the professor gives her a glass of warm milk for her crying child. Kiarostami then continues the story. A very beefy and bossy lady, the widow of a general on her way to a memorial service, gets in with a young male traveling companion. She constantly gets orders from her and is constantly snubbed. At first it seems to be her son, but he turns out to be doing some sort of alternative social service. There are a number of entertaining scenes that include a fellow passenger who suspects her of using his cell phone and also two men where she and her companion have taken their reserved seats without any reservations. Her behavior and attitude is very recognizable and entertaining from a social point of view, but it is not without consequences.

At the next stop, Ken Loach takes over and introduces three young Celtic supporters in their football shirts, on their way to Rome for a game. They get in touch with a young Albanian who happens to be wearing a Beckham football shirt. They give him and his family sandwiches that they have already brought from Scotland. Dangerous developments threaten when one of them misses his train ticket and suspects that the young Albanian has stolen it. Then Ken Loach’s social realism kicks in, how will the guys react? Do they only think in their own interest or do they make a sacrifice? The answer is typically in the style of Ken Loach.

What connects the different episodes in the film is the distinction between the simple possession of a train ticket. Without it you are a ‘nobody’, with the ticket you get access to the world of the privileged. The clever assistant has bought two tickets for the professor so that he has a table to himself in the dining car. The Albanian family has no money for tickets for everyone, gets stuck in the hallway and ends up stealing a ticket. The General’s widow thinks she is entitled to 1st class when she only bought 2nd class. Yet she is willing to risk her dignity. In the episode that Loach is filming, the ticket has suddenly become a matter of life or death. Will I lose my job, will I stay out of prison, will I not be deported or will I be able to attend the football game of my dreams?

As is often the case in a triptych, not all parts are of the same level. With one reasonable, one good and one fine contribution (Ken Loach) it can be called a success in its entirety. For railway enthusiasts, this is also a good reason to see this film. They will certainly experience a beautiful train journey.