The Girl on the Train, 2016.
Directed by Tate Taylor
Starring Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Luke Evans, Justin Theroux, Allison Janney. Edgar Ramirez, Laura Prepon, and Lisa Kudrow
SYNOPSIS:
A divorcee becomes entangled in a missing persons investigation that promises to send shockwaves throughout her life.
The Girl on the Train begins quite literally with Rachel (the titular girl on the train played by Emily Blunt) riding to and from downtown New York dressed up fashionably as if she has a respectable job, except she doesn’t. The reality is something simultaneously depressing and darkly humorous; she is openly stalking the lives of all of the citizens the train bypasses on its daily routine, even going as far as to make drawings of the various people. Sounds like a completely normal hobby, am I right?
Well, she is also a struggling divorcee alcoholic so broken down and defeated in her own life that it is the only activity she finds enjoyment in. Rachel describes it as an overactive imagination during an opening narration, while we clearly sense that something is wrong mentally. The introduction to her character is essentially “Hi, my name is Rachel and I’m an alcoholic that stalks people for fun, but DON’T WORRY I HAVE A JUSTIFICATION FOR MY INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR”. It is hilarious, and actually made me question what I was getting myself into.
The answer to that question was an entertainingly trashy soap opera story of emotional manipulation and abuse that over time reaches sickening levels. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Paula Hawkins, the movie is being promoted as ‘the thriller that shocked the world’, and I see why considering that initially the movie seems to be a harmless clusterfuck of romance with the sole intention of confusing viewers with what is always on our mind in both movies and daily life (Who is fucking who!?), until some very dark truths start coming to light. Even with a missing person, the movie reaches unexpected levels of violence.
Rachel goes through a captivating character transformation, earning sympathy from the audience in the process. Also, as one would expect, Emily Blunt is brilliant in the role, seemingly drawing inspiration from a lot of the personality traits of her Sicario character (obsession and becoming completely consumed by a mystery) and applying it to a deadly alcoholic fighting for a purpose to live for. At first, we think she is invested in the disappearance of Megan (a shameless sex addict with a troubled past that she enjoys observing on the train) just because it gives her validation in life again, to the point where at times she almost seems selfish for getting so involved in the mystery, but her connection to what happened on that unfortunate night brings about a startling and horrifying revelation as she clears the drunken haze of her memory.
Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for many of the other characters, who probably get more explanation and backstory in the novel. Megan for example is given a fine performance from Haley Bennett, but some of her more important and emotional scenes don’t carry the dramatic impact that they should. It is a shame because her past most definitely appears very tragic and worth shining a light on more. Many of the male characters don’t feel fully examined either; again, much of the movie is spent trying to keep a handle on who is getting into bed with who. Rebecca Ferguson definitely gets a decent amount of screen time as the wife of Rachel’s ex husband, putting in great work and looking completely unrecognizable from her action role duties in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. Basically, the movie would benefit from either a longer runtime or simply focusing on the three female leads equally.
The direction from Tate Taylor also must come under some criticism. He most definitely knows how to intentionally twist the narrative and keep the audience confused in a positive way, but he lacks the experience or skill to turn The Girl on the Train into an unforgettable thriller that can stand up to the best David Fincher films. However, he does get points for not churning out a complete trainwreck of a movie. As it stands, the movie has its slow moving moments, often lacking in tension for the first hour.
What’s good though is that The Girl on the Train does have the shocks to tip the scales in the favor of being able to give it a strong recommendation. Anyone that understands or has experienced a form of emotional abuse will surely find themselves rattled by much of what transpires during the final act, as will anyone with a moral compass. The performances across the board are serviceable, with Emily Blunt once again making a case for Oscar nomination.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder – Chief Film Critic of Flickering Myth. Check here for new reviews weekly, friend me on Facebook, follow my Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
Originally published October 5, 2016. Updated April 16, 2018.
