Film Review: "The Girl on the Train" (2016).

"What you can see can hurt you" in The Girl on the Train. This mystery thriller drama film directed by Tate Taylor, adapted by Erin Cressida Wilson, and based on British author Paula Hawkins' popular 2015 debut novel of the same name. The film follows Commuter Rachel Watson, who catches daily glimpses of a seemingly perfect couple, Scott and Megan, from the window of her train. One day, Watson witnesses something shocking unfold in the backyard of the strangers' home. Rachel tells the authorities what she thinks she saw after learning that Megan is now missing and feared dead. Unable to trust her own memory, the troubled woman begins her own investigation, while police suspect that Rachel may have crossed a dangerous line.

In March 2014, DreamWorks Pictures acquired the film rights to Hawkins' novel and an adaptation was planned for production. In early 2015, Wilson and Taylor were hired to pen and direct the adaptation. Hawkins revealed that the film's setting would be moved from London to Westchester, New York. In June, Emily Blunt was offered the title role. Hawkins had Michelle Williams in mind for the role of Rachel. The casting of Blunt garnered controversy as she was that she was too attractive for the role of a broken and chronic alcoholic. The makeup artists got around this by extensively studying the skin of actual alcoholics and applying makeup to make her look more exhausted and washed out with dark circles under her eyes and puffy cheeks. The fact that Blunt was pregnant during filming helped with the effect. In August, Haley Bennett and Rebecca Ferguson were cast to play Megan and Anna. Kate Mara and Margot Robbie were considered for the role of Megan. Jared Leto and Chris Evans were in talks to join the film, where Evans would play Tom, and Leto would play Scott. However, Evans and Leto left the film due to scheduling issues, Justin Theroux and Luke Evans ultimately replaced them. By early November, Allison Janney, Édgar Ramírez, Lisa Kudrow, and Laura Prepon rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in late January 2016. Filming took place throughout New York.

The film stars Blunt, Ferguson, Bennett, Theroux, Evans, Janney, Ramírez, Kudrow, and Prepon. Despite the talented cast, the film is not quite the rare character-focused drama that can make audiences gasp audibly - and laugh, and cringe. Though, the cast seemed to relish each delicious twist and turn their characters took. They were extremely entertaining to watch at times.

The Girl on the Train aims to be the film Hawkins fans hoped for and set Blunt up for a worthy Oscar nomination but the film disappoints in failing to improve upon the already-brilliant book. The film promised to be an unnerving portrait of recollection and distrust as ruin, but then it opts for madness and implausibility. Unlike David Fincher's Gone Girl, another missing persons movie that unearths its horrors with far greater feeling, the film lingers on the surface.

Simon says The Girl on the Train receives:

Also, see my review for Get on Up.