Title – The Girl on the Train (2016)

Director – Tate Taylor (The Help)

Cast – Emily Blunt, Luke Evans, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, Edgar Ramírez, Allison Janney, Lisa Kudrow, Rebecca Ferguson, Laura Prepon

Plot – Alcoholic divorcee Rachel Watson (Blunt) gets involved in the missing person’s case of Megan Hipwell (Bennett) after seemingly witnessing something untoward occurring on one of her frequent train rides to New York.  

“I used to watch this perfect couple. They were the embodiment of true love”

Review by Eddie on 14/10/2016 (for Jordan’s take on the film click HERE)

Bitterly disappointing.

It’s the best way I could describe my feelings towards Tate Taylor’s The Girl on the Train adaptation.

A film so devoid of any imagination, life or characters worth caring for, this 100 minute thriller is one of 2016’s biggest letdowns and the millions of fans of Paula Hawkin’s popular (if somewhat polarising) book are likely to be left cold by this big budgeted wannabe Gone Girl.

The comparisons to David Fincher’s 2014 hit, that in many ways shares similarities to this tale of domestic (un)bliss, murder and intrigue were always going to be made and have been made by many in the lead up to Girl on the Train’s release and now that we’ve been able to lay our eyes on Taylor’s film, it pales in every department.

Core to the failures when comparing the films is in both the tales characters who were interesting in Gone Girl and uninvolving here in Train while the most important aspect of a thriller of this nature being the mystery that draws us into the murky world is quite sadly bereft here as around 30 – 40 minutes from the films conclusion Taylor has played his reveal card far too early as any chance we had of being under illusion as who is who is taken away and the films rather grizzly final stanza feels worse off for it, despite the best efforts of the films talented and underused cast.

Looking worse for wear and giving her all, Emily Blunt tries desperately to elevate the film around her in her portrayal of hard drinking and divorced Rachel who is our films focus but despite her commitment and dedication Rachel is not an overly appealing character and remains hard to watch for most of the films runtime. It’s a great showcase for Blunt’s continual work to push herself as an actress but surrounded by the miscast Justin Theroux and Luke Evans and the misused Haley Bennett, Girl on the Train ends up delivering one of the years great crimes against talented cast members.

At the end of the day there’s not much more to say about Girl on the Train other than the fact this is a real non-event and an event that could’ve easily become the years big breakout thriller.

So uninspired and against all the odds boring, Tate Taylor’s film is not even worthy to be mentioned in the same sentence as Gone Girl or even other lesser thrillers of similar ilk, so disappointing for all who were involved in this “could’ve been” film. This is one train you can afford to miss.

1 sippy cup out of 5