First Take: The Girl on the Train- for the 50th time this year...

SYPNOSIS: A divorcee becomes entangled in a missing persons investigation that promises to send shockwaves throughout her life.

Paula Hawkins’ novel became infamous in the literary world when it was originally published last year, with many book critics labelling it as the new Gone Girl- but can Tate Taylor’s film adaptation deliver? The answer: it does, but there are a few issues that prevent it from being a perfect adaptation.

One of these issues is the pacing, as it is slow at points but then picks up for a major plot development- this happens several times throughout the 1 hour 52 minute running time, and for some viewers (mainly those who have read the book), this may be an issue- but apart from that, Tate Taylor does a good job directing this film. It’s adapted for the big screen by Erin Cressida Wilson, with her script staying pretty much true to the source material (apart from the change in setting). Performance wise, Emily Blunt absolutely nails it as Rachel, an alcoholic who becomes involved in the life of the girl who goes missing. It’s shot very well, with another very laid back score from Danny Elfman, but what shocked me the most was the graphic detail in the violence that is shown on-screen. At points it felt like the film should have been an 18 certificate, and it is advisable to avoid this film if you want to have a good night’s sleep- some scenes are that brutal.

THE VERDICT

While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, The Girl on the Train does a damn good job of shocking the audience with some great performances and a script that has some promise, but as a whole it does feel like it is trying to be the working man’s Gone Girl.

RATING- 3.5/5