Hitchcockian mystery keeps us in suspense
PAULA Hawkins’ novel The Girl On The Train has become a literary sensation, selling millions of copies worldwide. Hollywood soon came calling and director Tate Taylor was hired to shift the book’s setting from London to New York.
Erin Cressida Wilson’s assured script explores motherhood, revenge and betrayal through the eyes of women trapped in cycles of violence.
Rachel Watson (Emily Blunt) seeks solace in booze after an acrimonious divorce from cheating husband Tom (Justin Theroux). When she wakes from her drunken stupors, she has alarming gaps in her memory.
As a result of her intoxication, Rachel loses her job at a PR firm, which she conceals from her roommate by taking her usual train each morning and sitting in the park with a bottle of spirits.
The journey takes her past her old house where Tom now lives with his mistress. The tracks also pass the home of neighbours Scott (Luke Evans) and Megan (Haley Bennett), and Rachel fantasises about their seemingly perfect relationship.
One morning, Rachel stares bleary-eyed out of the train window and glimpses Megan in a clinch with another man.
Megan subsequently vanishes and Detective Sergeant Riley (Allison Janney) becomes interested in Rachel’s hazy recollection – especially as she has no alibi for the hours leading up to Megan’s disappearance.
Psychiatrist Dr Kamal Abdic (Edgar Ramirez) tries to help Rachel unlock her subconscious – but she soon realises some memories are best forgotten...
The Girl On The Train is a smart psychological potboiler anchored by a strong performance from Blunt. The picture chugs briskly down various dramatic sidings before arriving at a final reckoning that satisfies rather than surprises.