The Girl on the Train Review
This is one of those cases where you go into the theater waiting for a nice exercise. What I mean is you expect for there to be a story that you have to catch up with, where you are one step behind the characters and the chronology will be mixed up. You run behind them trying to uncover what they already have, watching all the clues and trying to complete the puzzle before the credits roll. Unfortunately, I realized a little over halfway through the film that the puzzle was complete, and we had maybe 45 minutes to go, which make the last act feel like an obligation. While this didn’t make the movie suck, and there are very likable elements, I can’t say the whole film didn’t feel like a slog.
So, I guess we’ll begin with what impressed me with the film. First off, the ensemble cast does a good job, especially Emily Blunt as the main character, Rachel, and Haley Bennett as Megan, a babysitter. Bennett in particular I think was given the best moment and had the best performance in a scene between her and Edgar Ramirez. Those who have seen the film know what I’m talking about. Her character’s story was perhaps the most engaging outside of Rachel’s as well, so whenever she was on-screen, it elevated the film. Blunt does her standard great job as well, and also elevated the film with her presence. As for the guys, Luke Evans and Justin Theroux are fine, nothing special, but director Tate Taylor does a fine job with everybody. I’ve seen worse.
I feel like I’ve given away the main reason why I just can’t give the film a positive review: if you can see a big twist coming, that just about destroys the tension and the momentum going forward and you’re just waiting for the ball to drop, and boy does that take forever. So while I felt the first two acts were very slowly paced and felt like it, by the time the twist was obvious to me, I was done with the film and ready to go, or for a new twist to come up and shock the hell out of me, but it never came. So the whole last act felt like a week waiting in line at the DMV. The film just isn’t quite as clever as it thinks it is.
So of course we have to mention it, and the film went out of its way, but it’s true: this film tries too hard to be the next Gone Girl (2014). The release date was the same weekend two years ago, the way the trailers were cut, hell, even the font on the title screen felt like a David Fincher film to me. It even had a high-profile cast like Gone Girl had. So yes, especially after I got to the point where I could guess every scene going forward, my mind started to wander, and of course I started to think that perhaps a story similar to this was done better, and recently. Aha!
I guess that’s all I’ve got to say about this one: the first two acts were fine and kept me in my seat and the acting was commendable, but the last act slows down and becomes predictable. Sure, those who read the book, which I’ve heard is much better, will love seeing the characters come to the screen, and of course watch for the little changes the book to film adaption takes. For everyone else, though, I’d recommend waiting until the film comes to VOD or Redbox. Sure, there are moments worth watching, but to pay so much per ticket, I’d have rather waited.
My rating: 5/10.
