The Movie That Metra Doesn't Want You To See

By Rob Christopher in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 4, 2011 4:40PM

In the new sci-fi thriller Source Code, a Metra train blows up again and again. Okay, so actually it's a CCR (Chicago Commuter Rail) train, the half-heartedly fictional stand-in. Metra agency spokesperson Judy Pardonnet said, “While it is a movie and movies are based in fiction, the images are of great concern.” Frankly, that's silly. It's a movie; and a damn good one too, which should at least be some kind of consolation.

We're not going to describe much of the plot, since basically the movie is a clever Rube Goldberg-like spoiler generator. What we will tell you is that Jake Gyllenhaal plays a soldier who, as part of a science experiment, relives the same eight minutes over and over again: he wakes up on a train, knowing that a terrorist's bomb is about to explode. His mission is to find the bomb, defuse it, and then identify the culprit. It's equal parts "Where Is Everybody?" and "Cause and Effect," and we mean that as a compliment. Within the confines of the outrageous premise, it's quite believable and incredibly well-paced. Juicy performances from Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright, playing shadowy military personnel, aid immensely in sustaining a mood of hurtling paranoia. But the most surprising subplot of the movie addresses post-traumatic stress disorder. Even more surprising is that it's genuinely moving; its treatment of the subject isn't maudlin or heavy-handed. Human touches such as these make Source Code more than just the usual gimmicky thriller, confirming that second-time filmmaker Duncan Jones (Moon) is the real deal.

In addition to all the screen time spent on a Metra train there's plenty of other Chicago location work, including a final scene which is set in Millennium Park. It's certainly going to make the tourist magnet even more popular. Without giving away any secrets, who knew The Bean could make such a perfect metaphor?