Movie with Abe: The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train
Directed by Tate Taylor Released October 7, 2016

There are so many movies coming out every week these days that it stands to reason that one or two will have the same name. With all the countries in the world producing films factored in, it’s even more likely. This reviewer strongly remembers the 2010 French film “La Fille du RER,” released in the United States as “The Girl on the Train,” which focused on a non-Jewish young French woman who invented stories of an anti-Semitic attack against her on a train. It’s hard not to compare it with this far more high-profile 2016 film of the same name, and, sadly, this newer film doesn’t hold a candle to the “original.”

The plot isn’t all that different in its origin, though this film is based on a popular novel by Paula Hawkins rather than inspired by true stories of events that took place in France. The crucial similarity here is a young woman who rides a train regularly and whose version of events is highly suspect. The difference is that Rachel Watson (Emily Blunt) is far less trustworthy to begin with, mainly due to her alcohol addiction and her recent divorce from her husband (Justin Theroux). Two other women, Anna (Rebecca Ferguson) and Megan (Haley Bennett), factor heavily into the story as the case of one missing person spirals into something dark, mysterious, and unsettling.

It’s not easy to write a summary of this film, and that’s mostly because it’s a mess. Its plot is confusing at times, but most importantly, the structure of the film doesn’t lend itself well to a narrative. While it is meant to offer some information and purposely withhold other equally important facts and confirmation, the result is disjointed and off-putting. Rachel is at a loss to describe what is going on, and it’s hard to imagine that viewers will be any more up for the task based on the way this film presents its developments.

Blunt is a great actress who has been on the verge of the role that will earn her an Oscar nomination for years. This performance netted her a SAG nomination, and while she does commit to it, it’s not her best work primarily because the character is so uneven and unpredictable. Neither of the other leading ladies manage to steal the film from her, and everyone in the cast – including the usually dependable Theroux and Edgar Ramirez – can’t save a film that doesn’t really offer a compelling case for its existence (sure, people loved the book). This reviewer’s advice is to go back and find the other “The Girl on the Train” instead – it’s a far more fulfilling experience all-around.

D+

Sunday Standout Performances: January

Welcome to a new semi-regular feature here at Movies with Abe. A lot of great performances from the first half of the year are forgotten by the time Oscar movies roll out and awards season comes around. This feature is designed to pay tribute to those actors and actresses who have demonstrated excellence in movies that likely will not be remembered at the end of the year. Maybe praise like this can help. Each edition of Sunday Standout Performances will look at a different month, referencing my reviews of the films mentioned. Since we’re playing catchup now, let’s start by taking a look at January. This one is all about the lead actresses.

Portia Doubleday (Youth in Revolt)
“In the midst of the expected quality of [Michael] Cera’s work, there’s an even more exciting discovery for both Nick and audiences in the form of his muse, played by lovely unknown quantity Portia Doubleday. It’s the romantic chemistry between Doubleday and Cera that drives the story of “Youth in Revolt.” The drooling gaze that takes over Nick’s face after he first sees the impossibly attractive and enticing Sheeni Saunders is especially telling of the lasting infatuation that has overcome the young hero. Their conversations are excessively and hyperbolically mature, and they act as if they’re the only people in the world.”

Katie Jarvis (Fish Tank)
“The most astounding aspect of “Fish Tank” is the debut of its leading actress. Katie Jarvis was only seventeen years when the film was made (she’s now eighteen), and delivers an exceptionally mature performance that resonates well beyond her years. Her casting in the film, which came about as a result of a loud argument with her boyfriend in a train station, proves that Jarvis has an intimate relationship with this character, and she understands and sympathizes with the anger she has inside of her. Mia, the protagonist in “Fish Tank,” is like a cross between Jenny from “An Education” and Precious from “Precious,” but there’s something starkly different about her.”

Émilie Duquenne (The Girl on the Train)
“Few films are fortunate enough to find a starlet whose mere presence serves to electrify and enliven the entire film, where the surrounding story might as well be inconsequential because the lead performance is so captivating. The feat is even more impressive when the film and actress in question are French, a culture where charm might be very present but politeness often is not. Émilie Dequenne, who has been actively appearing in almost two dozen French films over the last decade, is the star whose radiance and beauty, coupled with a disdainful attitude towards productivity, serve to make her an extraordinarily enticing protagonist, Jeanne.”

Movie with Abe: The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train
Directed by André Téchiné
Released January 22, 2010

Few films are fortunate enough to find a starlet whose mere presence serves to electrify and enliven the entire film, where the surrounding story might as well be inconsequential because the lead performance is so captivating. The feat is even more impressive when the film and actress in question are French, a culture where charm might be very present but politeness often is not. The plot in “The Girl on the Train” is hardly inconsequential; in fact it’s anything but. Its surprising and vivid storytelling is entirely fascinating.

Émilie Dequenne, who has been actively appearing in almost two dozen French films over the last decade, is the star whose radiance and beauty, coupled with a disdainful attitude towards productivity, serve to make her an extraordinarily enticing protagonist, Jeanne. She has no strong desire to find work, since her only motivation is being able to afford an annual vacation to Italy. She spends her days rollerblading, and it’s only when a man skates up behind her and begins to woo her that her life takes a turn for the more volatile and interesting.

The film features an excitable opening while the initial credits roll, with a train racing through a dark tunnel accompanied by a lively marching anthem. It’s like a metaphor for Jeanne’s life, a constant certainty that goes so fast while she’s on a high and then slows to nothing, with the emergence back into the daylight marking the end of the brief rush accompanied by the uncertain darkness. A deep, meditative look into Jeanne’s eyes conveys her yearning for more and her desire to find something to interrupt her mundane existence.

There is a great parallel story that intertwines with Jeanne’s, and that’s the story of her mother’s relationship with a famous anti-Semitism lawyer and, by association, his own family dynamic and problems as his grandson approaches Bar Mitzvah age. Two fantastic performers have the wonderful opportunity to play parts, the legendary Catherine Deneuve as Jeanne’s protective matriarch and Israeli actress Ronit Elkabetz (The Band’s Visit). Michel Blanc and Mathieu Demy are also outstanding as grandfather and grandson, respectively. The ensemble cast contributes to a powerful and haunting film that has much to say about crime, motivations, intent, and hatred, as expressed through the outlet of one young woman whose life took a far more tumultuous turn that she might ever have expected. This is French independent filmmaking at its best, and a small film that deserves to soar above the radar.

B+