• Home
  • Mail
  • Flickr
  • Tumblr
  • News
  • Sports
  • Finance
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Answers
  • Groups
  • More
Yahoo
    • Skip to Navigation
    • Skip to Main Content
    • Skip to Related Content
    Entertainment Home
    Follow Us
    • TV
    • Movies
    • Celebrity
    • Music
    • Videos
    • Reviews
    • Movie Showtimes

    Fact-checking 'The Commuter': 5 ways Liam Neeson's commute is better than mine

    Ethan Alter
    Senior Writer, Yahoo Entertainment
    Yahoo MoviesJanuary 15, 2018
    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share
    View photos
    Liam Neeson in The Commuter (Photo: Jay Maidment/Lionsgate)

    Having already employed his particular set of skills to police the friendly skies, the open seas, and the Alaskan tundra, Liam Neeson turns his attention to New York’s Metro-North commuter rail line in his latest action movie, The Commuter. Only it’s not really the Metro-North; in the film, the railway is called the Hudson North (run by the Hudson Metro Authority as opposed to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority) and while it still operates along the Hudson River — ferrying passengers from far-flung river towns like Beacon and Tarrytown to Grand Central Station — the HMA offers a very different transit experience from the one I enjoy every weekday via the MTA.

    It’s not just the fact that my commute doesn’t typically involve Neeson strolling up and down the aisles, grabbing passengers’ phones, punching other people in the face, and gifting former Goldman Sachs employees with a hearty “F**k you!” (If it did, I’d never need to entertain myself with books or podcasts.) No, the Hudson North trains also come equipped with some features that we Metro-North riders can only dream about. So chin up, Liam! Sure, a mystery villain may be forcing you to take part in a conspiracy to murder a stranger on your train, but here are five ways that you enjoy a better commute than those of us in the real world.

    1. The Hudson North makes bonus stops

    Not in a hurry to leave Manhattan? Then don’t board the Metro-North’s Hudson line to get uptown, which only pauses at 125th Street station before crossing over into the Bronx and all points north. The Hudson North, on the other hand, offers a more leisurely paced trip that includes stops at 86th Street and Lexington Avenue as well as 110th Street — both of which are on the 4/5/6 lines on the actual New York transit map — for those commuters looking to enjoy some Upper East Side culture and/or nightlife before heading back to the ‘burbs. On the other hand, at least you can count on the Metro North to take you all the way home. Neeson’s Hudson North train terminates at Cold Spring, which is four stops before the real end of the line terminal in Poughkeepsie. Guess that’s what Uber is for! (Speaking of which, when are we getting Liam Neeson’s Uber-based action movie?)

    2. Tables are your friend

    In the interest of packing as many people onto the train as possible, Metro-North cars eliminate surfaces, thus forcing passengers to keep their hot coffee, half-eaten bagels and newspapers they’re only pretending to read on their laps, the floor or another person’s seat. So kudos to the Hudson North for thoughtfully providing commuters with a café car where they can comfortably kibitz, play cards and, every now and then, toss a bad guy over a table. The train also may or may not house a fully stocked bar, as Neeson’s fellow passenger Jonathan Banks at one point suggests that they grab a beer for the ride ahead. Not coincidentally, The Commuter is also a movie that’s best enjoyed following copious beer consumption.

    View photos
    Vera Farmiga and Neeson in The Commuter (Photo: Jay Maidment/Lionsgate)

    3. Who doesn’t love a pristine latrine?

    It’s the eternal commuter dilemma: do you venture into the public bathrooms in Grand Central Station or take a chance that the bathroom aboard your Metro-North train comes equipped with a stocked soap dispenser and a sliding door that actually slides shut? Or — and this is the typical answer — do you just hold it for the 45- to 60-minute ride it takes you to get home? Hudson North riders don’t have to make that kind of calculation, because they enter airy restrooms that feature hand-dryers, a shining steel commode, and, best of all, working vents that keep the air circulating and provide you with a place to stash thousands of dollars in cash. It’s a latrine so clean that, as others have pointed out, Neeson feels comfortable crawling around on his hands and knees on the floor and doesn’t immediately shower himself in hand sanitizer afterwards.

    4. There’s plenty of dead body storage

    We already addressed the lack of table space on the Metro-North, but as anyone who has ever taken the train around the holidays knows, there’s also not a lot of room for oversized luggage beyond the fairly small overhead racks. The Hudson North solves that problem by leaving a giant empty space in the back of its cars where more seats would go. But that empty space isn’t wasted! Beneath the floor lies a compartment situated above the wheels of the train that’s big enough to stash extra bags — or, you know, a dead body — from prying eyes. Heck, if the HMA wanted to make a little extra money, they could put a mattress down there and bill it as an exclusive nap space.

    View photos
    Neeson on a runaway train in The Commuter (Photo: Jay Maidment/Lionsgate)

    5. Race ya onboard!

    Miss your Hudson North train back to Cold Spring by mere seconds? Don’t worry — as Neeson ably demonstrates, you can channel your inner 1930s hobo by hopping aboard the train from the tracks. Metro-North passengers, of course, are prevented from alighting this way thanks to the enclosed vestibules that allow folks to move easily back and forth between cars. Vestibules are fewer and far between on the Hudson North — budget cuts, ya know — so some cars have doors that open directly to the outdoors. At the same time, the lack of consumer safety really does lead to more consumer choice. Choices like, “Do I jump onboard the train or would I rather not die?”

    The Commuter is in theaters now.

    Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

    • Liam Neeson’s greatest action hits, ranked
    • 2018 preview: The 50 movies we’re most excited to see
    • Hollywood’s 10 worst horror movie remakes
    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share

    What to Read Next

    • Carrie Underwood details brutal fall, says she was worried son would be 'scared' of her

      Yahoo Celebrity
    • Jenna Bush Hager's letter to Barbara Bush leaves 'Today' show anchors in tears

      AOL.com
    • Channing Tatum Spotted for First Time Without His Wedding Ring After Jenna Dewan Split

      People
    • Obama's Time 100 profile of Parkland students angers those who blame him for gun violence

      Yahoo Entertainment
    • Why Woman Says Husband Of Less Than A Year Broke Her Heart

      Dr. Phil CBS
    • Jenna Dewan Posts Lingerie-Clad Pic to Instagram -- and Channing Tatum 'Likes' It

      Entertainment Tonight
    • Meghan Markle's brother slams royal-to-be in scathing interview ahead of royal wedding

      AOL.com
    • Michelle Williams' Fiancé Saved Up 11 Years for Her Engagement Ring – See the 5-Carat Stunner!

      People
    • Body of 5-Months-Pregnant Wisconsin College Student Is Found in Suitcase — and Boyfriend Is Charged

      People
    • Files show rising alarm in Prince's circle as health failed

      Associated Press
    • Grieving Family Honors Mother of 2 Who Died After Being Partially Sucked Out of Southwest Plane

      People
    • Southwest Victim's Cause of Death Confirmed as Hero Pilot of Flight Releases First Statement

      People
    • Connor Cruise puts DJ career on back burner to … become a fisherman?

      Yahoo Celebrity
    • Paula Patton 'loves' her boyfriend of one month -- who's married to his wife of nearly 20 years

      AOL.com
    • Danielle Bregoli Is Finally Maturing!

      Yahoo View
    • Paula Patton continues love parade with married boyfriend as scandal brews

      Yahoo Celebrity

    Alabama man, 83, executed for judge's 1989 mail-bomb slaying

    Dennis: Sounds like the legal system needs new reform.

    Join the Conversation
    1 / 5

    1.4k

    • More California Cities And Counties Reject State's Pro-Immigration Law

      Yahoo View
    • Gwen Stefani dishes about Blake Shelton’s ex

      Yahoo View
    • Will Ferrell is back to making fans laugh in his first appearance after car accident

      Yahoo Celebrity
    • Kim Kardashian Celebrates Kourtney's Birthday at Dinner with Friends Including Khloé's BFFs in L.A.

      People
    • Texas Firefighter Who Tried to Save Woman Sucked Through Southwest Plane Window Speaks Out

      People
    • Khloé Kardashian's Assistant Attends Cavaliers Game Amid Tristan Thompson Cheating Scandal

      People
    • Cardi B Jokes Her Coachella Twerking Is 'How She Got Pregnant' & Says She Knows Her Baby's Name

      Yahoo View
    • Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ Stuns Fans: ‘Shatters My Entire Heart’ (Video)

      The Wrap
    • Dwayne Johnson Threatened to Quit 'Rampage' Over Original 'Sad Ending'

      Moviefone
    • Tristan Thompson Benched Amid Khloe Drama

      Yahoo View
    • Meghan Markle Stuns in Cocktail Chic Attire at Latest Royal Appearance

      Entertainment Tonight Videos
    • Cardi B Wanted to 'Show the World How I Got Pregnant' by Twerking at Coachella

      Complex
    • Obama profiles Parkland survivors for TIME's '100 Most Influential' list

      HuffPost
    • Stormy Daniels’ attorney: I predict Trump will not serve out his full term

      Yahoo View
    • Blake Shelton's Ex-Girlfriend Had Gwen Stefani's Face 'Plastered Over Her Whole Bedroom'

      Entertainment Tonight Videos
    • John Cena Was 'Just Protecting Himself' with 75-Page Contract He Made Nikki Bella Sign: Source

      People