Three women, Rachel (Emily Blunt), Megan (Haley Bennett), and Anna (Rebecca Ferguson) are all unhappy, for different reasons, but unhappy nonetheless. The three women are also connected through a series of unfortunate events, and, whether they know it or not, their lives will become far more complicated than they had ever imagined. The Girl on the Train, Rachel, however, is the most important in this story. As she travels between Arsdley-On-Hudson and Manhattan everyday she notices a number of unusual things, including aspects of both Megan and Anna’s lives that she shouldn’t know about. As she becomes intertwined in a missing-persons investigation as a result of her daily travel, her life is completely flipped upside down, threatening never to be the same again.
There is something engaging about Tate Taylor’s film adaptation of The Girl on the Train, and sadly, it’s not the storyline. As the mystery of the missing person plays out, viewers feel less interested in what is taking place in regard to that and more interested in the mystery that is Rachel (and the mystery of Rachel, as enticing as it is, isn’t entirely necessary to the story). There is clearly something about her that viewers are unaware of, and, while the story of the missing person should be the primary focus throughout, Rachel takes precedence from beginning to end. This is both good and bad; it is clear from the beginning that Rachel is the main character and that, in one way or another, viewers are meant to follow her throughout the course of The Girl on the Train, but it feels like those watching should want to know more about the investigation than about the girl who spies on people from a train. However, as the film’s guide, Blunt does a superb job of luring in audiences and providing them a reason to stick around until the end.
Viewers have to try to look past Rachel in order to appreciate the investigative, mystery aspect of The Girl on the Train. If, and only if, they are able to look past her are they able to appreciate the film in its entirety. Both Megan and Anna are integral to the story, but with Rachel overshadowing both of them it becomes difficult to appreciate the role that they play. This is where the issue of The Girl on the Train lies.
Now, it seems like based on the fact that the primary story of the film was a bit of a disappointment that The Girl on the Train is completely unsatisfactory. This, however, is not the case. As Blunt becomes the most dominant feature of the film, viewers are able to quickly fall in love with her. What makes her so incredibly interesting is the fact that viewers are initially unsure of why they like her. There are clearly layers to her character, but those layers are slowly peeled back as the film progresses, causing viewers to yearn for more information, begging for answers as to why her character is so identifiable and enjoyable. As the story and Rachel unravel, viewers are invited deeper into a twisted story of love, hate, and revenge, all centering on the enigma that is Rachel.
I want to award The Girl on the Train a favorable score but I’m conflicted as it is a bit frustrating that the main storyline is so easily shrouded by a single character. The film is by no means unappealing, but as the story progresses, regardless of how wonderful Bennett and Ferguson are, it fails to deliver as expected. However, suspense, phenomenal acting, and relatable characters make every second of The Girl on the Train, even the less than exceptional ones, worthwhile.
Directed by Tate Taylor. Written by Erin Cressida Wilson & Paula Hawkins. Starring Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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