Emily Blunt doesn’t have nearly as much fun as she ought to in Tate Taylor’s adaptation of Paula Hawkins’s bestseller – and nor do the commuters who studiously ignore the hot couple having sex in full view of their carriage.
Guilty of being slavishly loyal, Taylor’s film never quite translates into the cinematic equivalent of Hawkins’ page-turner. Blunt, though, is excellent.
It’s not unimportant, but when location scouting is the most striking aspect of a film, something’s awry. And sadly this mystery fails to intrigue.
Adhering so closely to the book results in a fan-pleasing adaptation that stays obediently on track, even if that means delivering us to an all-too predictable destination.
This is a very over-determined and melodramatic affair that plays like a contemporary version of one of those steamy Eighties thrillers such as ‘Fatal Attraction’.
This may be called The Girl on the Train, but in every other way it’s pedestrian.
In the end The Girl On The Train is just a glossy, overly earnest and perfectly watchable 1980s-style thriller that isn’t in the same league as Gone Girl.
The British star holds it all together as her character falls apart in this US adaptation of the Paula Hawkins bestseller.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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