The Girl on the Train – Blunt carries it

I haven’t read the book this film is based on, so I can’t really say how the two compare, but I can tell you that if you’re looking for a thriller where you really can’t afford to check your email on your mobile phone for fear of missing a crucial plot point, then this is for you.

Emily Blunt plays ‘Rachel’ – a woman who works in the city and passes by a road full of nice houses.  As she sees them daily she wonders what the occupants get up to.  Little does she know that she’s about to get mixed up in their lives in the worst way possible.

I have to be careful about what I say about the plot.  If I say too much then I run the risk of entering ‘spoiler territory.’ You’re only going to ever get to watch it the once and not know where it’s going, so try not to find out too much about it before you invest your time into a viewing.

The actual story (whatever it may be) is nothing new.  However, the one thing that elevates this film above the numerous similar ones is Emily Blunt’s performance.  If ever an actress carried a film then it’s her.  Rather than being a delightful and endearing protagonist, she has more than her fair share of demons in her life (not to mention a fair few skeletons in her closet!).  She gives a great portrayal of a broken person who has really fallen foul of life lately and, despite her very visible flaws, is someone you can relate to and want to see succeed and regain a little control of her life.

If the film has a flaw it’s in its direction.  The story is set over a period of (roughly) six months and the scenes bounce back and forth in time.  Your only guide as to WHEN you’re watching is a caption before each scene starts.  That’s not so bad, but it’s sometimes unclear as to when you’ve returned either to the present, or to a different part of the timeline.  As I said, this is a film you’ll have to watch carefully so you don’t miss something small that’s actually very big!

So, if you want to watch a film, rather than just have something on in the background, this is a very effective little thriller which you’ll probably have to watch a couple of times to fully appreciate everything.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that