On April 20, 2015 The Girl on the Train became the fastest selling adult novel in history. By December 2015, it had sold 6.5 million copies, selling millions more since then. Several weeks ago this book was still the number one seller in the Chicagoland area.
Author Paula Hawkins successfully wove a mysterious story, one that at times left the reader wondering where she was headed. But the biggest mystery to me was why this book sold so many copies. I was relieved when I finished reading it and tossed it on the scrap heap. Nonetheless, I am certain some of you read it and maybe even enjoyed it, so I felt a review was in order. Otherwise I would have picked a different film for this column.
If you read the book you know it’s about a group of psychotics who all happen to live in the same neighborhood. The plot is muddled through the whole story until the final few minutes when at last some semblance of order appears. While watching, the viewer is subject to numerous flashbacks attempting to lay the foundation for what happens at the end. On occasion you may not be sure you are in a flashback or the present. Unfortunately, on screen it is a bit of a challenge to keep up, especially if you have not read the book.
The Girl on the Train
Entertainment Rating: ★
Rating: R: if you are a voyeur this is for you, plenty of sexual situations, some frontal nudity and a plethora of “F” bombs.
Possible Oscar Nominations: Emily Blunt might get a mention for best actress.
Emily Blunt plays Rachel, who rides the train from her Long Island residence into Manhattan each day. The tracks run by her old neighborhood and she can see the back of homes, including one she lived in with her ex-husband who has remarried. She sees some mysterious goings on as she passes by, and begins to translate those visions into some onerous concerns, which she eventually takes action on. These actions lead to serious interruptions into the lives of others, bringing chaos and dismay to all involved. To add to the confusion, she is in an alcoholic haze most of the time.
This is a dark, foreboding film, with not one iota of happiness anywhere, not even a smile. Adding to all of the “R” rated activities, a sense of hopelessness hangs over almost everyone, including the psychiatrist who slowly gets vacuumed in.
The movie does have a great cast including the aforementioned Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, Edgar Ramirez, Allison Janney and a cameo by Lisa Kudrow. They all performed well, but alas, the story itself, coupled with terrible film editing, left me cold.
If you read the book and enjoyed it, you might like the movie. If you haven’t read it, flip a coin and hope it comes up tails.
