The Girl on the Train (2014) Reviews

• Not as great as many said, but really not as bad either

  bgarts2015-05-16

  The plot in this one is a little disjointed and by the end you are wondering what the heck is going on, but it seems to wrap everything up kind of neat. The relationship between Danny and Lexi is confusing and unclear as you are only clued in by his conversation with the detective. Danny and Lexi's conversations are mostly soliloquies, nothing you would hear normal people discuss. Sounds more like they memorized lengthy passages of a thought-provoking novel and repeated them back and forth to one another throughout the movie. The cinematography and music are very well done. The acting was good, but really not as horrible as some people have reported. I think the relationship between Danny and Lexi could have been fleshed out more. They never even get to a point where they get uncomfortably close to each other, so you wonder why he spent so much energy pursuing her if there is no emotional energy created at some point. It all seems suspiciously platonic, but the why is never clear. Again, the end clears thing up a little in this respect. Like I said, in the end the confusion is cleared up, but you are left wondering why you were even confused to begin with. You should have enough information to be uncomfortable with what you don't know, not confused wondering what you might have missed, only to find out you didn't miss anything at all. So see it and make up your own mind. It's a good story regardless.

• Unbelievably tortuous to watch

  cmmyakman-550-3487992014-09-04

  Long time user of IMDb, but this is my very first review because I felt compelled to write as I read the unbelievably high scores given to this film by people that must have been on the crew or are relatives of the actors or producers. What an atrocious film filled with bad acting, terrible dialogue and poor pace! I was expecting a good film, then I saw the scores drop for this film in real time over a matter of days on Netflix. I should have sent the film back without watching it as the Netflix algorithms know a stinker from a good or even great film. I watched the whole thing because once I start I can't stop. It was almost a physically painful ordeal that I had to endure just to get through the 1 hr and 20 minutes. I will be on my deathbed and probably think about this film and wonder what constructive thing I could have done with that time instead, perhaps watch paint dry or look into a dark closet. Yikes! Please don't waste your time like I did.

• Glad I only paid half price.

  searover-503-2035402014-08-16

  Empty headed lead who is 'so smart' he get used and abused for a 'mystery woman' - who he never gets to answer to any question. Sorry waste of time. Police know she emptied her trust account - but not her name? Video she sends him at end of film could be used to locate her - yes small Caribbean Islands will extradite murderers. Why did she mask out her face in the video - she has lots of photos - Drivers License, Passport etc. So many questions - not worth time to find-out answers - film was a 4 at best. Was suspenseful enough that we did not walk out in hopes of getting an 'aha' - did not. Actors did good work - even liked 'Spider'

• Intelligent dialog and complex plot delivers in a love mystery/thriller

  mdyer-112016-03-06

  Unfortunately there are 4 movies with this same title, all produced between 2009 - 2016, so before you watch this movie, make sure you are seeing the right one. At the time that I am writing this review there are only 10 prior reviews, with an average of just 4.5 stars out of 10. I almost didn't watch this movie because of its low overall score but I'm very glad that I did because it turns out that this suspense/mystery/love film is at least 9 stars. Compared to the usual mystery movie it is a big breath of fresh air. The dialog is very thoughtful, in most places philosophical, with the characters discussing the relationship of love to stories and of story-telling to reality (and much more). After so many mystery movies with standard dialogs and plots, this film is very refreshing. The movie involves several parallel stories, with each addressing the nature of the role of deceit and love in life. For example, an elderly Jewish man tells of his experiences in Nazi Germany while interviewed by the hero (a film-maker named Danny Hart, played very aptly by Henry Ian Cusick). In parallel, Danny himself is being interviewed by someone else (I won't say who) and tells his own story of meeting a young woman on a train. Each character, in turn, tells their own stories about yet other characters. There are so many twists and turns in the plot that I was reminded of The Magus. At the end of the movie I spent quite some time thinking about the statements made by the characters and about the film's conclusion, which in general is the sign of a very good movie -- like reading a short story by Somerset Maugham. The movie's plot structure might be too difficult for the average viewer but will be thoroughly enjoyed by those who like a complex, thoughtful, intriguing movies regarding good, evil, love, betrayal, truth, art, reality -- for them this movie will deliver an unique experience (like Wood Allen's 1989 movie Crimes and Misdemeanors). I normally don't review movies but I felt that this movie deserved a much higher rating. I will not give it a 10 just to raise it's rating. I believe it deserves a score of 9. The reason that it is not a 10 (at least for me) is something I cannot discuss here because I don't want to include any spoilers. I think that a movie of this caliber (although shot in just 17 days) deserves a much wider audience. I have no connection of any sort to anyone involved in the making of this movie.

• Simply terrible

  penfoldini2016-07-26

  Wow, this film is in love with itself. Another reviewer described it as having flatulent dialogue, and quite frankly, I can't think of a better way to describe the film as a whole. The first hour is literally just 3 or so people pontificating about love and the ideal dream versus reality and slow evolving the plot (if you can call it a plot). Then there's a brief flash of action, and even more pontificating about the inevitable and painfully obvious conclusion. I'm sure its supposed to be intellectual and insightful but ultimately its just a dressed up airport romance novel. The acting is OK; the direction passable; the premise is as tired and unoriginal as it is interesting; the script is big lumbering mammoth that bores you to the point of wanting to rip off your own arm and beat yourself to death with it; and it certainly does't deserve its sense of superiority. I cannot see anything redeemable about this pretentious pile of crap. Don't bother wasting the hour and 20 minutes; You can get the same amount of blistering insight in to love and perception in a far, far, shorter time - via one episode of the Vampire Diaries... And at least that will give yo a laugh! This is so bad its not even funny.