Review: "Girl On The Train"

I've always been a stickler for reading the book before watching the film adaptation of that book. However, I went back on my own word this weekend, watching The Girl On The Train despite not having read the best-selling book. (In my defense, I was coaxed with the promise of having dinner and a movie paid for.) I mention this only to note, for any readers who may have read the book and watched the movie, that my understanding of the story may deviate from what yours is.

With this in mind, I really didn't know what to expect coming in to the film. I knew it was a thriller, but beyond that, anyone's guess was as good as mine. Unfortunately, having now seen the film, I couldn't tell you a whole lot more about the story. I spent the better part of the movie with furrowed brow, murmuring utterances like "Hm," "What?", and "Good lord, that was hard to watch." In other words, The Girl On The Train was short on 'Wow' moments, with any elements of suspense muted by long-winded story development-- but more on that in a minute.

I have to say, I can see how this might have made for a fascinating novel. The story follows the protagonist Rachel Watson, our titular Girl on said train, but also follows two other women, Megan and Anna. The way these women's stories interact, both with each other and with one man who is a key figure in the lives of all three, holds the potential for intriguing character development, and certainly for suspense, for big "reveals." However, Director Tate Taylor (who is no stranger to weaving together several female characters into one cohesive movie, having directed The Help) fails to carve out significant time for and/or attention to Megan and Anna's stories, so that one does not feel drawn to or sympathetic towards those characters much at all. Again, I don't know if this is a deviation from the book, but the film certainly felt uninterested in winning much appreciation for or interest in either woman.

Instead, much of Girl On The Train is Emily Blunt's Rachel stumbling around drunkenly, trying to remember the part she played on one fateful night. Fortunately for the viewer, Blunt is captivating to watch. Indeed, one of the few standouts in the entire movie, the actress transforms Rachel from a fascinating trainwreck to a well-meaning albeit bumbling friend and accomplice, ultimately to an unlikely heroine. The way this character develops in front of the audience's eyes is one of the few bright spots of the movie, and you have to imagine it wouldn't be possible without Blunt's performance. Even from the very beginning, she has you cheering for her, in ways you do not understand at first but by the end of the film are clear. Rachel and her friend who has taken her in after a failed marriage and continuing alcoholism are the shreds of good in an otherwise dark, even demoralizing story.

The sympathy Blunt elicits from her character draws an important distinction from a similar recent film, Gone Girl, against which Girl On The Train has frequently been compared and contrasted. To be sure, some parallels between the two are striking. Two dark thrillers, with themes of failed marriages, deception and other psychological manipulation permeate both movies. However, Gone Girl is undoubtedly short on likable or even sympathetic characters, to an extent that renders the viewer uninvested in either protagonist's fates at the film's conclusion. Rachel Watson, conversely, is relatable and vulnerable, such that even in her lowest moments-- and perhaps especially in her lowest moments -- we wish the best for her. This emotional appeal, as well as the twisted optimism present in a more "satisfying" conclusion (as satisfying as a story like this can end, I suppose) are elements that are missing from Gone Girl.

The moviegoer seeking a bonafide thriller, however, will also notice that Gone Girl's expertly crafted reveals, constant suspense, and throbbing score are missing from The Girl On The Train. All in all, the latter film functions much better as a study piece in manipulation and emotional abuse than it does as a mainstay in the "Thriller" genre.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars