MICHAEL LOMAX: This ‘Train’ likely not heading to Oscar glory
FILM REVIEW: ‘The Girl on the Train’ an average thriller
By Michael Lomax
Book adaptations are tricky to do. It starts with the plot, which almost always requires trimming, padding or something in between. Then you have to find the right actors. And of course if the tone of the movie doesn’t match the tone of the book, you’re going to turn away a lot of readers.
In other words, adaptations are hard because trying to please everyone — both book readers and moviegoers alike — is impossible, and “The Girl on the Train” is no exception.
Based on the 2015 British psychological thriller, the film stars Emily Blunt as the unstable Rachel Watson, an alcoholic divorcee who routinely gets drunk and occasionally stalks her ex-husband (Justin Theroux) and his new family.
But after one heavy night of binging, Rachel wakes up with several new wounds and bruises and no memory of where they came from. She knows something is wrong and is soon after thrust into a missing persons case with herself as the prime suspect.
Of the many faults in “Girl on the Train,” pace is not one of them. There are plenty of plot holes for sure, but the psychological tension mitigates the impact, and Emily Blunt’s performance is so good on its own that you can forget the film’s other shortcomings.
The problem is these same shortcomings really do run deep, and even if the movie is agreeable, there’s no getting over the feeling that what you’re watching is ridiculous and would’ve worked better by either hiring a different director or leaving the original book alone.
I haven’t read the novel, but the critics seems to think that it’s a lot more enjoyable and makes more sense. I can’t speak to that so much, but I can say this: Take this film for what you will.
If you’re looking for an enrapturing new thriller, you’re probably going to be disappointed. If you’re looking for a great new adaptation of your favorite book, you’re probably going to be disappointed.
“The Girl on the Train” is an average film through and through, so maybe keep that in mind when picking your selections this weekend.
Michael Lomax is a writer-filmmaker currently at work on a film script to be set and shot in Albany.
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