I do occasionally read something from the best-seller lists. This one intrigued me because of the amount of time it sat at number one. After finally reading it, I felt pretty fulfilled. It is a true page turner, and the way it is put together works quite well. The characters are at the center, but in this one there seems to be only a single one given any depth. Emily Blunt's Rachel is a scattergun of craziness and chemical abuse. Having familiarity with the book and already knowing what would happen, she became my focus. The portrayal is quite good and she is a wonderful actress. That said, the rest is a kind of cardboard piece with people moving around her to "advance" the plot. None of them are really that interesting. The psychiatrist is played with little verve. Allison Janney's police officer, who is pivotal in the book, could have been anyone. This was disappointing because I believe her to be quite a good performer (I think of "The West Wing"). There is really little suspense leading up to a made-for-TV conclusion. I have little knowledge of the art of screen writing, but other than watching things play out, I left with very little to talk about. Again, it's frequently unfair to compare a book to a movie, but this book was fuel for a much better film.
Review of The Girl on the Train
