Despite a really annoying audience of noisy senior citizens I got into the spirit of "Train of Life (Train de vie)" (though it was odd having the shtetl residents in a foreign-language film speak French until I realized of course in "Jakob the Liar" Robin Williams and Liev Schreiber speak English so why not in a Belgian/Romanian-produced movie wouldn't they speak French?).

It has the immediate feel of the magic realism of "The Milagro Beanfields War" and it no more cheapens the Holocaust than "The Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" cheapens the Civil War. It is full of the warmth and love of everyday life and personalities come sweetly to life.

I thought the Fool as the Seer was getting a bit much until it's made clear he's not really the Village Idiot so no heavy-handed symbolism.(originally written 11/14/1999)

Answer: Yes. This film continued to surprise me with the way it handled this concept. Some may find the idea too hard to handle but it treats the heroes with enough respect that no offense should be taken. Watch out for the "Kick in the gut" ending.

this brilliant film came out from a brilliant mind, that has a Jewish background. who shows this story is then a person who is talking about a tragedy that he indirectly lived or at least he lived through his parents tales. watching this movie you will become aware of the holocaust tragedy. however the way this movie is treated is unusual, because of its terrific irony. you will learn a terrible truth but laughing, or, to say it better, your mouth will laugh while your heart will be crying.probably at the end of the film you will feel stupid for having laughed for all its duration. if you loved "Life is beautiful", well then you can't miss "Trein de vie". a special suggestion is to check the soundtrack out carefully, it rocks!!