112 minutes, Mystery Drama/Thriller

By now, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN will have generated plenty of anticipation pending its release for more than likely one of two reasons, if not both. It looks so fine, is one. Two, it is based on “the thriller that shocked the world” which debuted at number one on The New York Times Fiction Best Sellers of 2015 list where it remained in top spot for 15 weeks in total, selling over 3 million copies in the U.S. alone. A relocation from London in the novel to New York on the screen, that girl on the train is Rachel (Emily Blunt), a divorcee who is struggling to cope with her failed marriage to Tom (Justin Theroux), who has well and truly moved on, now married with a baby to Anna (Rebecca Ferguson). As Rachel makes her daily commute to work, she passes a home where an attractive young couple live an idyllic-looking lifestyle. When the young lady of that relationship, Megan (Haley Bennett) disappears, Rachel finds herself becoming involved in the missing person’s case led by Detective Riley (Allison Janney).

Expectations are bound to be high for THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, and fairly so for the book has been referred to as “the next GONE GIRL”. Perhaps it lives on that way in the book, for the film can be likened to a feeling of completing a trip on the world’s fastest train that never hits the speed it’s capable of.

As it opens, a multi-character psychological mystery establishes itself quite effortlessly. Directed by Tate Taylor (THE HELP, GET ON UP) these stories are told by jumping back and forth in time as the channel is switched from one main character to the next. Throughout its set-up and first half, the film is intriguing, but rarely to the same high degree as Emily Blunt’s superb performance. The overall tone of the film is rather mellow, especially when considering its more gripping content. It’s no spoiler or surprise to reveal that a twist to the tale is on the way, it’s just a matter of what twist and when (which of course I won’t reveal!). From the moment this game-changing revelation is made, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN instantaneously becomes the most compelling it’s been yet. All of a sudden, there is hope that this mystery drama may just sneak its way to becoming 2016’s GONE GIRL or reaching for the brilliance achieved in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. As it turns out and true to earlier form, any such signs are fleeting only.

For a film based on a book that “shocked the world”, the story has little left to offer that actually registers a shock or satisfies to the extent required once its secret is out. Disappointingly, once it is over, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN settles itself into the same category as another release from last year – SECRET IN THEIR EYES, which also featured so many strong elements that promised so much more than what is actually delivered. 

3 out of 5

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

Viewer Discretion
MA15+ – Strong Themes and Violence 
Some viewers may wish to know that there is coarse language, sexual content and nudity in this film. Perhaps not to a strong enough extent to register a mention on the MA classification handed, but is there. 

Moviedoc wishes to thank Claire from Entertainment One, Entertainment One and Hoyts Melbourne Central for the invitation to the Media Screening of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN.

Review by Moviedoc 
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