Review of The Girl on the Train (2016) by Flipje — 17 Dec 2021
This is a soapy, alcoholic version of Rear Window except the main character, an inebriated train commuter Rachel (Blunt) happens to be more intimately connected with the main players. This film, based on the book by Paula Hawkins, came out at a time when the word 'girl' in a property title was at its height following Fincher's Gone Girl.
I have revisited Gone Girl many times. A well-structured film with some great twists and turns. The Girl on the Train... not so much here. The film begins with loaded down voice over narration that gets the audience up to speed only to slow it all down.
It all feels contrived when you think about the likelihood of a passenger train with one specific female passenger happening to catch so many precise moments. Thankfully, the cast and their dedication get you through the awkward screenplay bumps.
This is melodrama meeting a murder mystery here, and yet Blunt's portrayal of Rachel evoked so much pathos. You are more focussed on her performance than the other leaps in logic. It's Friday night fare, entertaining if you want something bleak.
This review of The Girl on the Train (2016) was written by Flipje on 17 Dec 2021.
The Girl on the Train has generally received mixed reviews.
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