The Girl on the Train

At the time of this review, it has been just over 3 weeks since I saw the girl on the train. Third-year and YouTube videos do not a productive blogger make.

The Girl on the Train is a thriller based on the bestselling novel I confess I have not read and stars Emily Blunt whose character watches a perfect couple through a train window every day. That is until she sees something that changes everything.

Careful Emily, don’t wanna get motion sick!

That’s the vaguest synopsis, I’ve written for a while and for good reason. This is, in all intents and purposes, a mystery. And much like in my review for Gone Girl, spoilers would be poison.

Gone Girl is probably the best comparison I can think of for this movie. Both fall very neatly into this form of 21st-century, cynical neo-noir and of course both of extremely clichéd words with it within the title. (Seriously, how many thrillers have “girl” or “gone” or “train” in their name.)

Both relied on the surprise factor for the best Internet connections, different levels of success. Executed their different thing well, but you could see it from a mile away while GOTT it extremely well particularly in its advertising but was hampered by a lack of skill in the execution of the big picture.

GOTT’s marketing was quite clever. We know that Emily Blunt’s character looked out the window and that would start. The thing she sees, however, is not what you’d expect and’s character is not someone you’d expect her to play.

Subverting expectations becomes a major part of the form and function of the entire film. Props to the story for using its main theme in as many ways as possible. The drawback lies in the predictability of the final twist is a bad twist, but one that doesn’t challenge or move me like gone girl dead.

That film me with Fincher’s unrelenting nihilistic tendencies this one kind of felt like a TV show. It’s best comparison would probably be that show The Tunnel which had a completely ridiculous twist which didn’t quite match up with what I was wanting.

I’m not here to knock TV, but long-form is generally the best route for this kind of thriller.

I do not heed this film. I like it. It’s well paced, the acting (particularly from Blunt) is great, the direction is good.

I just can see it move me.

Recommended Scenario: TV night in with your significant other.